PAKISTAN_WEDDINGS (fwd)

[Tuong-Vinh Ho <vho@info.polymtl.ca>]

Hi friends,

Co' bai` bao' nay` hay chuye^n? to+i' cho cac' bac' ddoc. cho+i. Nha^t'
la` cac' bac' cac' co^ chua^n? bi. hay se~ la^p. gia ddinh`. Nhu+ to^i
cha(ng? han., ddang tinh' cu+o+i' vo+. na(m sau nhu+ng bi. "vie^m mang`
tui'" ne^n kho^ng co' bie^t' la` se~ ve^` VN ddu+o+c. na(m sau hay kho^ng
dde^? lam` ddam' cu+o+i'. Nghe tha^y' moi. ngu+o+i` ke^? la` Vn ba^y gio+`
tie^u xai` ghe^ go+m' la(m'. Cuo^i' cung` thi` cung~ phai? qua so^ng
nhu+ng hy. vong. la` kho^ng phai? uo^ng' nu+o+c' no tru+o+c' khi ca^p.
be^n'.

Vinh




TITLE=PAKISTAN WEDDINGS
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  IN PAKISTAN MANY PEOPLE ARE WELCOMING A RECENT
(MID-MARCH) GOVERNMENT BAN ON SERVING FOOD AT WEDDINGS.  THE
MEASURE TARGETS THE WEALTHY WHO ARE KNOWN FOR LAVISH WEDDING
FEASTS IN A COUNTRY WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE POOR.
V-O-A ISLAMABAD CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN EXAMINES THE
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE POLICY.

TEXT:  // BAGPIPE MUSIC FADED //

A BAGPIPE BAND PLAYS AT AN ISLAMABAD WEDDING -- JUST ONE PART OF
THE EXPENSIVE PRODUCTION MARRIAGES CAN BE.  BUT WEDDINGS ARE
CHANGING AS DEBT-RIDDEN PAKISTAN MOVES TO CUT DOWN ON WASTE.

A NEW GOVERNMENT BAN FORBIDS THE SERVING OF FOOD AT WEDDINGS IN
PUBLIC PLACES SUCH AS HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND WEDDING HALLS, AND
SAYS ONLY TEA AND SOFT DRINKS ARE ALLOWED.  ALCOHOL, OF COURSE,
IS FORBIDDEN IN ISLAMIC PAKISTAN.  THE NEW POLICY DOES, HOWEVER,
PERMIT MEALS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND GUESTS INSIDE PRIVATE HOMES
DURING WEDDINGS.

AT AN ISLAMABAD MARKET PEOPLE WELCOMED THE CHANGE, SAYING IT WILL
MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THE POOR, WHO ARE MOST OF THE POPULATION.

                    // MARKET VOICES ACT //

         (VOICE ONE:)  I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BECAUSE, I
         THINK, THERE'S A LOT OF WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE ON
         MARRIAGES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FORCED BY PEER
         PRESSURE TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY.  AND I THINK MOST
         PEOPLE SEEM TO BE VERY HAPPY WITH IT FROM WHAT I'VE
         HEARD.
         (VOICE TWO:)  THIS IS A VERY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE THE POOR
         PEOPLE -- ESPECIALLY IN PAKISTAN THE MAJORITY IS POOR --
         AND THAT WAS A BIG BURDEN ON PARENTS ESPECIALLY FROM
         GIRLS' SIDE.  THE GIVING OF BIG-BIG DINNERS AND SERVING
         SO MANY FOODS
         (VOICE THREE:)  I THINK IT IS A GOOD THING AND IT ALSO
         REDUCES THE PRICES OF THE ITEMS.  LIKE CHICKEN AND RICE
         AND ALL THINGS AND PEOPLE WILL SAVE MONEY.  ESPECIALLY
         THE POOR PEOPLE I THINK WILL BE HAPPY FOR THIS.

                          // END ACT //

SOME CITIZENS SAY THE BAN SHOULD BE MODIFIED SLIGHTLY, ALLOWING
ONE-DISH MEALS.  TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD SAIMA ASLAM HAS TRAVELLED TO
ISLAMABAD FROM BRITAIN FOR HER WEDDING (TAKING PLACE THIS MONTH).
SHE SAYS THE FOOD-BAN IS A GOOD CONCEPT BUT SHOULD BE ALTERED.

                        // ASLAM ACT //

         IN THEORY IT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA.  YOU KNOW CONSIDERING
         THE WAY MARRIAGES ARE DONE IN THIS COUNTRY WITH A LOT OF
         EXTRAVAGANZA AND FANFARE, WHICH ISN'T REALLY NECESSARY.
         BUT PRACTICALLY, I MEAN THERE ARE SOME PRACTICALITIES
         WHICH I DON'T THINK THEY'VE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT.  LIKE,
         I MEAN, IF THE WEDDING PARTY IS TRAVELLING A GREAT
         DISTANCE, WHICH IS QUITE COMMON, THEN I MEAN IN THAT
         RESPECT IT'S  NOT  VERY PRACTICAL.  I THINK THEY SHOULD
         HAVE DIVIDED IT INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.  I MEAN IF A
         MARRIAGE IS TAKING PLACE AND BOTH PARTIES ARE FROM THE
         SAME, YOU KNOW, TOWN OR WHATEVER.  THEN, I MEAN, THAT'S
         OKAY BUT, I MEAN, TRAVELLING A GREAT DISTANCE, I MEAN,
         THEY HAVE TO EAT DON'T THEY.

                          // END ACT //

MS. ALSAM'S WEDDING IS IN LAHORE, ABOUT 300 KILOMETERS FROM
ISLAMABAD.  HER UNCLE, ZAHEER AHMAD, ALSO SAYS TRAVEL IS AN
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.  HE GENERALLY SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENT
POLICY, BUT ALSO THINKS A SLIGHT CHANGE IS WARRANTED.

                        // AHMAD ACT //

         SEE, PEOPLE IN MY COUNTRY THEY WOULD -- MOST OF THEM
         WILL -- STOP COMING BECAUSE IF THEY KNOW THAT AFTER
         TRAVELLING LET US SAY 100 KILOMETERS OR LET US SAY 300
         KILOMETERS, ALL THEY ARE GOING TO EAT IS JUST A CUP OF
         TEA, OR A COLD DRINK PROBABLY THEY'LL  NOT  COME.  MOST
         OF THEM WILL  NOT  COME.

                          // END ACT //

THE WEDDING FOOD BAN HAS HAD AN EFFECT ON PRICES.  THE COST OF
CHICKEN, A VERY POPULAR ITEM, DROPPED SHORTLY AFTER THE MEASURE
WAS ANNOUNCED MARCH 15TH.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER ECONOMIC EFFECTS.  OWNERS OF MARRIAGE HALLS,
CATERING AGENCIES, AND MOTELS SAY THE POLICY WILL DEVASTATE THEIR
BUSINESSES AND SUCH GROUPS HAVE HELD SCATTERED PROTESTS.  SHER
ZEMAN KHAN, OWNER OF THE DREAMLAND MOTEL IN ISLAMABAD, SAYS THE
GOVERNMENT MUST RETHINK ITS POLICY.

                         // KHAN ACT //

         I CAN'T RUN MY MOTEL WITHOUT CATERING BECAUSE I CAN'T
         BEAR THE EXPENSE OF THE MOTEL.  OUR ROOM BUSINESS IS A
         SEASONAL BUSINESS.  WE CAN'T BEAR THE EXPENSES WITHOUT
         THE CATERING.  THE PEOPLE CHARGE (SAY) THIS -- THERE
         MUST BE ONE-DISH DINNER.  THE GOVERNMENT MUST GIVE THE
         PERMISSION OF ONE-DISH DINNER.

                          // END ACT //

BUT PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF HAS STOOD FIRM.  HE SAYS REQUESTS
FOR ONE-DISH MEALS ARE IMPROPER.  HE DEFENDS HIS POLICY SAYING IT
BENEFITS THE POOR.   (SIGNED)

NEB/DB/AC/CF

20-Mar-97 5:33 AM EST (1033 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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