It is undoubtedly a “sweet” gesture. The happy news this week is that a Pakistani man is offering free donuts and a meal to all Indians visiting the country.
Iqbal Latif runs multiple franchises (26 to be precise), of the popular Dunkin’ Donuts chain of restaurants in Pakistan, across Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. The day he rolled out the offer, 17 meals were served to Indians in an outlet in the Diplomatic Enclave of Islamabad. This unique act of hospitality has captured the attention of both social media and the general population on both sides of the border, and it has become one of the top trending stories on Facebook.
Ironically, this sweet gesture followed some rather bitter experiences between the two nations in the past week.
Shiv Sena targeted Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan on Tuesday, refusing to let them promote their films in India. The Sena also threatened to not allow any Pakistani star, cricketer or performer to step on Maharashtrian soil.
Donuts, Not War
Earlier last week, former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri was targeted by Shiv Sena activists on October 12 in Mumbai ahead of his book launch, while the ORF chairman, Sudheendra Kulkarni, had ink thrown on his face by Sena workers.
Shiv Sena’s hooliganism also resulted in the cancellation of Pakistani ghazal legend Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai on October 8.
On October 16, a Karachi-based family was reportedly denied accommodation by almost 40 hotels in the Bhendi Bazaar area of Mumbai, as none of them had registered for Form C, which must be submitted by the hotel authorities to the government within 24 hours of any foreign tourist checking into their premises.
All these incidents prompted Latif to start this initiative.
Hey Shiv Sena, Don’t Go
Nuts, Have Some Donuts
While donuts can’t solve international disputes, or counter the hooliganism by Shiv Sena or any other group, this gesture does reiterate the belief that the common man, irrespective of which side of the border he comes from, just wants peace. And donuts.
Donuts, ladies and gentlemen, will save the day.