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Pakistan's being shortchanged by the Rs5 Cocomo pack and Twitter's holding Miftah Ismail accountable

Pakistan's being shortchanged by the Rs5 Cocomo pack and Twitter's holding Miftah Ismail accountable

The PML-N leader claimed Bisconni puts four biscuits in a Rs5 pack, but people are contesting that claim.
06 May, 2021

The Pakistani people have had enough and are calling for drastic change. Ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail is at the centre of this new saga, and the public want to make sure he's held accountable. They're not talking about politics though, there's something far more important weighing on their minds — Cocomo.

Singer and comedian Ali Gul Pir also made an appeal to Ismail directly.

"We want our demands met," proclaimed the Waderai ka Beta singer, and as his followers cheered on, he continued, "We want 5 Cocomos in every pack!"

Pir's contribution comes as part of an increasingly louder internet movement calling for justice for Cocomo consumers. The complaint is that the manufacturer, Bisconni, owned by Ismail Industries, is not giving enough biscuits in their Rs5 pack. From a time when there were six little ellipsoids per pack in its golden days, an increasing number of loyalists today report barely three in a pack.

The controversy began when lawyer Reema Omer reported finding just three units in her pack of Cocomo. She took to social media to complain about the injustice, only to find out that others shared her struggle.

She was reminded of an interview Ismail — whose family business produces the much revered biscuits — gave to The Current in which he spoke about the controversy. The user said Ismail said a pack is supposed to have five pieces of Cocomo, and that three is an injustice. Omer, shocked by the revelation, took out her scissors and cut open another pack, only for four biscuits to drop out. "Lies!" she called.

The reminder also needed an update.

But when Omer opened a third pack, only for three Cocomos to roll out, with some crumbs, we heard the sound of her heart breaking from thousands of miles away.

The complaints didn't stop there, as more people jumped onto the bandwagon, and voiced their ballooning concerns regarding Cocomo. Empty, hollow Cocomo, for example.

"What did it say in your form 45!?" inquired distraught Hasan Zaidi.

This person has a foolproof way to check that they're getting their money's worth.

This woman has a poem for us to chant.

And Meesha Shafi has a hashtag suggestion that we can get behind.

In an interview with The Current, PML-N's Ismail was asked why a pack of Cocomo only has three biscuits by a deeply concerned interviewer. The concern was, of course, prompted by this matter of national importance.

"I can assure you a packet has four," said the businessman-politician. He claimed he had told his nephew, who we suppose takes care of that part of the business, that there should be five, but the nephew shot this down under the pretext of it not being feasible.

"If you've gotten three, then that's probably just bad luck because the counting is done by a machine," he said.

Every time the interviewer said there were three biscuits in a pack, Ismail corrected her and said there were four.

Why is this being done to us? Surprise, surprise, the PML-N politician laid the blame for this national tragedy at the door of the PTI government.

"The blame somewhat falls on Usman Buzdar. How he let our wheat get smuggled to Afghanistan and Central Asia, and Imran Khan consequently doubling the price of wheat, has lead to my production cost doubling up. The cost of oil and sugar doubled," he lamented commodity prices, insisting, in ways, that Cocomo is a legitimate economic indicator.

"Cocomo's price should've also then doubled to Rs10, but we've kept it at Rs 5, though bringing down the number of biscuits from five to four."

Here's an excerpt from the interview.

And here's a tweet that we wholeheartedly agree with:

How many Cocomos do you, on average, find in your pack? Let's test Ismail's claim.

Comments

Fast comment May 06, 2021 02:30pm
Cocomo or no Cocomo. Mifta Ismail is a bonafide Karachiite he must not be deprived of his right.
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Rubina May 06, 2021 02:53pm
This proves Miftah to be a true noon legui; Yeh hain wo zaraiyay janb-e-ala. we never found out about the zaraiyas.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad May 06, 2021 03:24pm
Once a cheater, always a fraudster.
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M. Emad May 06, 2021 03:48pm
Pakistani people want Sasta-Roti & Sugar.
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Toni May 06, 2021 03:59pm
You need a Recount at the factory level, where the dial has been spun backwards.
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Zak May 06, 2021 04:05pm
With comments like that, we need stupid and corrupt politicians and their parties out of Pakistani politics.
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Derek Miller May 06, 2021 04:13pm
Miftah should account for the accountancy tax scam by over invoicing his biscuits in fake sales to Afghanistan before any wild claims
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Wiseash May 06, 2021 04:51pm
Cost of production barh gaey hay Tou Factory bund kardo Na. Miftah Ismail Saab.
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Anis Motiwala May 06, 2021 05:01pm
The pun aside, I am glad that little consumer related interests are finding spotlight. We need this trend to continue for many products that short-change customers ...
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Cye May 06, 2021 05:09pm
“Muftah” is hell bend against IK.
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Hasan May 06, 2021 05:39pm
Aren't there usually 5 ??.. I got 6 once, but yeah, it wasn't IK gov then so that makes sense
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M. Saeed May 06, 2021 05:43pm
If 3 biscuits plus crushed crumbs are there in a pack, it is a proof of 4 biscuits without mishandling.
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kash May 06, 2021 07:05pm
use sustainable packaging and get more in for same price. Such a big pack and three biscuits.
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Truth be told May 06, 2021 07:26pm
But his argument makes sense and appears justified. Why blame him?
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Sabir May 06, 2021 08:07pm
I am giving 3 packs to my grand daughter for the last 4/5 years duly opened . This shortage was twice brought to the notice of supplier at Mottis Clifton.I have yet to a box hqving 6.Cheater politician Muft ka
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Umar May 06, 2021 08:19pm
The most important issues plaguing the nation: 1- water shortage and climate change 2- illiteracy 3- extremism 4- Cocomo kay packet main biscuit ki kami Kya quom hai!
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Sheraz May 06, 2021 08:51pm
If machines can't count Cocomos, how will they count votes?!?
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Saif Zulfiqar May 06, 2021 11:15pm
@M. Emad : Pakistani people want Sasta but Bangladeshi people want everything Free.
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MK May 06, 2021 11:37pm
What is the cost of wheat used in 3 cocomos?? Not more than 20 paisas.
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Sami May 07, 2021 12:41am
I always wondered why i get always 4 cocomo although i pay 5 rupees
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NYS May 07, 2021 12:56am
Cost and production effects Not only effecties are kids but adults too
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Kashif May 07, 2021 07:11am
Machine counting never puts more but sometimes less . Lol
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Fast comment May 07, 2021 03:04pm
@Saif Zulfiqar No taunts please. BD GDP & exports far ahead than many neighborhoods. The people of BD and WB are very sensitive, honest, and hardworking. They deserve max appreciation.
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Nk May 09, 2021 06:57pm
China cutting of snacks. Why do we have this tendency of cutting back on quality and quantity?
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