In Pakistan, and in many countries in Asia, politicians are given preferential treatment on the roads, in airports and in services, while the rest of us wait in line.
In Pakistan there is a growing outrage about the ‘VIP culture’ of politicians--- people elected to serve us not being served.
A small middle aged man stands at the busiest traffic intersection in the wealthiest suburb of Karachi.
This area is home to the elite—including many high-profile politicians.
He is wearing a long a black gown inscribed with the words ‘NO VIP’
He says your house is yours, but the public road is for everyone….
With him are a group of around 50 protests who have been coming here every week since the end of September.
In Pakistan, Politicians, high profile judges and members of military travel everywhere with state security guards and are escorted through the traffic by police.
They get a smooth ride while making terrible traffic jams for everyone else.
Delays to flights because VIP politicians are late are also not unusual in Pakistan.
But in rare case passengers recently fought back.
This video shows what happened when former Interior Minister Rehman Malik, kept a plane waiting for around two hours….. Anger passengers eventually forced him off the plane.
The video went viral in Pakistan….
So did this video. It shows a women giving birth in rickshaw stuck in a traffic jam caused by the Prime Minister’s convoy.
Dr. Irfan Dawoodi, a senior surgeon at one of the top hospitals, says this is not an isolated incident.
“A lot of time they cannot get necessary treatment because they are stuck up in traffic, this happens all the time in Islamabad. These are the terrible things that are happening in our country. The bureaucrats, military officials, rich people who have armed guards flouting arms have complete disregard for the poor people, these are the people who are horrible, disgusting they should not be allowed.”
Sharmeen Osmany is a lawyer and the wife of a Supreme Court judge.
She says the term VIP is being misinterpreted.
“VIP means you are influential and have too much money, this is the meaning of VIP at the moment. I’m sorry, I don’t agree. What should be the true definition of a VIP? I think, a person, who is law abiding and paying taxes, contributing to the nation, they are sons and daughters of the nation and VIPs.”
Pakistani constitution, she points out, says no one in the country is above the law.
