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A couple kissing on an Airblue flight to Islamabad has divided Pakistani Twitter

A couple kissing on an Airblue flight to Islamabad has divided Pakistani Twitter

Fellow passenger Bilal Farooq Alvi lodged a formal complaint against the airline staff for not taking 'appropriate' action.
Updated 27 May, 2021

You'd think the two-hour flight from Karachi to Islamabad would be short and sweet, but unfortunately, one flight turned out to be too long both for a 'amorous' couple and the other passengers on the plane with them.

On May 20, a couple was reportedly seen kissing on an Airblue flight and refused to stop despite multiple requests from the airline crew.

Eyewitnesses claim that even though the passenger sitting next to the couple, who were seated in the fourth row, lodged a complaint, they refused to pay any heed, telling the cabin crew that they had no right to tell them what to do.

Advocate Bilal Farooq Alvi, who was a passenger on the flight, later lodged a formal complaint with the CAA against the airline staff for not taking appropriate action against the couple. According to him, a member of the cabin crew gave the couple a blanket to cover up instead.

But it's unclear what appropriate action would have been in this situation considering they were airborne when the incident happened so it's not like they could have been kicked off the plane.

The incident sparked a massive debate on Twitter and divided the nation over whether two consenting adults should be allowed to publicly display affection in public or whether a kiss on a plane harmed the moral fabric of our society. In fact, #AirblueKissing was the number one trend on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

The singles were consoling themselves

Some were pointing out the hypocrisy

Invasion of privacy?

Some thought PDA was morally wrong

While others found it funny

Is it about priorities?

They say everyone should mind their business, but what do you do when someone's business is right under your nose?

Comments

well-wisher May 26, 2021 06:35pm
Following the West blindly not caring for indecency in public. AIRPLANE is a confined space and must prohibit such indecency. Even such acts don't happen on planes in the West.
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zebswati May 26, 2021 06:35pm
OK kissing a personal matter no problem. but look at timing !! Covid/pandemic SOPs ? , Wow ! couple found the best place ! not even at home ! social distancing, mask , hygiene Responsible/ educated citizens YES! . And instant and active response by the airhostess " put a blanket on every think so no one can see" as usual every thing is fine !! . Passengers Please move your mask a little up near your eyes !!
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Ahmed May 26, 2021 06:39pm
Every society and country has a common culture that binds its people - and this is not our culture. While one has to have some empathy for the airline staff who probably had no training on how to handle it and thus handled it as best as possible I do think that the couple should be reprimanded and future rule created to avoid such things. We are not Western - we are Pakistanis - I fail to see why we should be happy to blindly borrow precedents and habits from others.
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Saeeds May 26, 2021 06:51pm
Bilal Farooq Alvi wake up and do better things like plant trees
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Solomon The King May 26, 2021 06:51pm
the question your Honor here is Whether Kissing however it intimate may be tantamounts under any section of PPC or constitution a sexual act, an act intimacy, affection or volgurity, and how it could draw the public reaction.........the court is dimissed until next hearing into I dont know when, hillarious (pardon me it wouldnt be for many of course)
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Imran May 26, 2021 06:53pm
@well-wisher If you want to talk about ethics then look at the streets, the poor the needy, the extreme poverty yet we are concerned about these matters.
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e-Mad May 26, 2021 06:53pm
public display of affection is not a cultural norm here, so avoid
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Hasnain Haque May 26, 2021 06:55pm
No doubt this has been blown out of proportion and exaggerated. Hypocrisy is rife in Pakistan, you can loot, rape, take bribes, assault young girls and make false blasphemy allegations but if you kiss in public, its wrong.
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Hamed May 26, 2021 06:59pm
They should be charged for misbehaving in public. They know what misbehaving is.
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Reader May 26, 2021 06:59pm
Ours is a hypocritical society, so if a couple was kissing and you do not wish to see look the other way , mind your own eyes. One wants to look, because it is most unusual in our society, and cannot do it themselves because social norms prevents them.
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Ahsan Gul May 26, 2021 07:06pm
Overall our society and culture does not allow in public kissing and holding hands but there are always a few who break these customs. The best way to handle this type of incident is to leave them alone for an appropriate time to question. Sincerely
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Ajaz May 26, 2021 07:08pm
NAYA PAKISTAN.
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Brownflower May 26, 2021 07:10pm
The way to fix this problem is to make dedicated kissing-booths inside the planes.
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Irfan Huq May 26, 2021 07:15pm
An airline or a restaurant owned by someone is not a public place. They can have their own code of conduct and standard.a restaurant may require to have a shoe or a tie to enter their premises. An airline is a little different and more sensitive. The people flying in the airline are captured audience. The captain of the airline is the captain of the ship and to protect the business and the passengers. If they feel that the action of any passenger is scaring other people or endangering other people or Dragging down the reputation of the airline and may affect the business the captain has a right to ask them to stop and if they don't stop he should turn around back to the place where he flew fromand off load the passenger and prosecute the rowdy passenger. Morality is not an issue in aviation as it is different in different places
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Chrís Dăn May 26, 2021 07:17pm
Kissing is a sign and symbol of mutual love and effection. It is neither illegal too. Why so much fuss!!!
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Chrís Dăn May 26, 2021 07:22pm
@Hamed bribe is not a misbehave? Raping minor boys in kasur is not a misbehave?
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Chrís Dăn May 26, 2021 07:23pm
@Reader exactly. But we like to judge and to condemn.
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D’Souza May 26, 2021 07:23pm
Pakistan must give burqa to that man with no eye slots. He can wear it and protect himself from the view in front.
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D’Souza May 26, 2021 07:24pm
@Ahmed “ and this is not our culture. ” What is your culture?
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D’Souza May 26, 2021 07:25pm
It’s a love less hateful society. How can anyone live in this nation.
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Fariha Amir May 26, 2021 07:28pm
@Ahmed thats why we don't have time yo do justice for Zenab or the raped baby who is,only 3 month old. We have time for all this rubbish but we don't have time for these matters .....inkey parents daily martey hongey
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Fast comment May 26, 2021 07:31pm
It’s a violation of PPC, the couple could be fined for that. These days such acts are not rampant even in west.
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Waheed Noor May 26, 2021 07:37pm
If fellow passengers did not like what the couple did, they (the other passengers) should have stepped out the plane at 30,000 feet. That will teach the couple a lesson.
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Fast comment May 26, 2021 07:41pm
@Ahmed . It’s not possible even in India.
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Zulfiqar May 26, 2021 07:50pm
@Reader please stop assuming that people are objecting because they can’t do themselves what’s going on. It’s against generally accepted norms for a couple to behave in such a manner. Even in other less conservative societies such overt show of affection is frowned upon. It’s a matter of basic human decency
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D’Souza May 26, 2021 07:51pm
@Fast comment “ It’s not possible even in India.” In india they can do that and nobody bats an eye. It’s common these days. We are very accepting of love and affection.
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MSH May 26, 2021 07:51pm
@well-wisher I think you have not heard about high mile club where couples in the west do it in the plane. Agreed on the other bit. Religious or not religious, you have to follow the law of the country
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Zulfiqar May 26, 2021 07:56pm
@Imran your points are valid, however all things are mutually exclusive. We should be as appalled by poverty as we are by two people kissing in public.
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M. Saeed May 26, 2021 08:02pm
A simple advice by a Pakistani father to his son is, " what you cannot do in the presence of your parents, is well known to you, being wrong.
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Syed Ahmed May 26, 2021 08:02pm
Get aa life everyone,stop medling another person business
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ShadowLugia May 26, 2021 09:03pm
Didn't know that Pakistan has air force moral police
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Kash May 26, 2021 09:03pm
No mask? Airline should be sued for not following sops for all passengers. The two in question Should be charged for public indecency.
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Nemomil May 26, 2021 09:24pm
@well-wisher : It is not true to say that such acts don't happen in the West. The difference is people generally mind their own business.
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Ibrahim May 26, 2021 10:02pm
You know our society is going modern... So we should not anyone... They are couple let them do.... It's only a kiss.. I don't know why people are reacting like this.. Need to chnge the mentality
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AJ May 26, 2021 10:20pm
They probably should have been more discreet but other than perhaps a stern look I do not think other actions were needed. They should have been more respectful of other passengers.
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Ahmed May 26, 2021 11:05pm
Psychiatrists and psychologists would have a field day on this issue. A kiss is just a kiss but vulgar displays of affection is objectionable everywhere. Why make a mountain out of a molehill?
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Khaled May 26, 2021 11:08pm
@well-wisher Who says it is indecency?
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Khaled May 26, 2021 11:12pm
@Ahmed . What culture? Then why do we make such long queues outside foreign embassies to migrate to a different culture?
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Khaled May 26, 2021 11:14pm
@Hasnain Haque . People are jealous.
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Khaled May 26, 2021 11:15pm
@Hamed why? Where they misbehaving with other passengers?
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Khaled May 26, 2021 11:20pm
@AJ . The other passengers should mind their own business.
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Irfan Huq May 26, 2021 11:21pm
No one told us whether they were kissing on the lips the cheek or the forehead. It is very important for us to know because it is good entertainment.
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asim May 26, 2021 11:55pm
So what if they were kissing. why should that be offensive.
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Sajjad Ahmad May 27, 2021 01:35am
It's really shameful for all the literal societies of the world.It dosen't mean it might happen in Pakistan or anywhere.it also doesn't mean that how many people favour it or oppose it. We can't cross the ethics and it's values because it leads us to the righteous path of virtue and piety
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Just Saying May 27, 2021 01:43am
Pakistanis have no problem marrying their own cousins and having children from them but kissing apparently is against their values.
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Iqbal May 27, 2021 02:42am
@Hasnain Haque If you do certain things wrong doesn't mean you should start doing everything wrong.
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Ahmed A Khan May 27, 2021 03:00am
@well-wisher Of course they do, and there is no prohibition to a show of affection on an airplane!
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Ahmed A Khan May 27, 2021 03:04am
@Zulfiqar Poverty, corruption and injustice are not indecent?
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Ahmed A Khan May 27, 2021 03:05am
@well-wisher Obviously you have not flown on a plane in a western country!
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AJ May 27, 2021 03:34am
Intimacy between spouses is a very private matter. Public display of affection is against our culture and our religion.
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Nayyar Rashid May 27, 2021 03:39am
People are ridiculous defending indecent act in public. It is clearly stated in Penal Code. T he Advocate should have know better he can also lodge a complain about them in a court of law. Public morality may not be a thing anymore but law is still normative
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Irfan Huq May 27, 2021 03:52am
One more thing were they kissing with the mask or without the mask
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Nick, NY May 27, 2021 04:12am
Now this is too much! Even in the States no one does anything like this on flights, most people just read!
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Chacha Jee May 27, 2021 05:34am
@Ahmed Are you suggesting kissing under Burqa because you are Pakistanis?
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Liaqat Shahjee May 27, 2021 06:08am
Couple must be punished. Pakistan is Islamic country. Their act was against the islamic rules as well as it was morally wrong.
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Ibrahim May 27, 2021 06:51am
Is kissing against the law in Pakistan ?
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Usman May 27, 2021 08:23am
@Zulfiqar making a fuss out of it is also not the behavior of a practicing Muslim.
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Nick, NY May 27, 2021 08:38am
Personal matters ought to be carried out in personal domains not in public domain!
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Percussionist May 27, 2021 08:54am
In a country where over 50% people are below poverty line, and literacy rate is around 40%, such matters occupy national attention. Sad.
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Capt. Tariq Akhtar Khan May 27, 2021 09:03am
Try to do the same in a park or public place,where police is around. Our culture do not allow such activities in public.
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oldhabibian May 27, 2021 09:16am
Here is an opportunity for airlines to make money in a tough economy. Introduce lovers seats and charge by the second!
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Anonymouseee May 27, 2021 09:20am
Such things don’t even happen in the west.
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Naseem May 27, 2021 09:51am
Next question: Did anyone check their Nikahnama, was it valid?
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Syed Intisar Hussain May 27, 2021 10:19am
This is explicitly indecent exposure of relations and feelings and should be condemned for performing in public. Law should be established for monitoring and controlling such acts and culprits in public to maintain our social and eastern norms. And one more aspect, as per civil aviation authority, wearing mask is mandatory during flights, so why no action was taken against those lovers during flight or after arrival at airport. This is the responsibility of airline crew to maintain CAA ruling during flight.
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Masood Haider May 27, 2021 10:19am
@Nemomil : Have you ever lived in the West? Public display of passionate love is exceedingly rare at least in the USA and Canada. Pakistani look foolish when they try to ape western attitudes which are so uncommon even in the west.
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Bored May 27, 2021 10:59am
Most of these comments fall perfectly under the category of classic "whatabout-ism". Whether PDA acceptable is or isn't is decided by the norms of the society and in Pakistan it isn't.
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Dr Sajid Iqbal May 27, 2021 11:26am
How old is Advocate Bilal Farooq Alvi? He could have easily ignored the couple and started either reading a newspaper or humming an old time song of his days. What a spoilsport this Alvi guy!
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Gah May 27, 2021 12:04pm
Should have forced them to get married at 18. That's the solution to all the ills plaguing the country.
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Anonymous May 27, 2021 12:19pm
I wouldnt be surprised if the couples were tourist because no pakistani would kiss on a plane IN a public space and to those saying whats wrong with this everything is wrong with this
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Nauman May 27, 2021 12:40pm
@zebswati So you mean that to follow Covid SOPS all couples stay at a distance. Or kiss each other through glass Jars??
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Nauman May 27, 2021 12:45pm
@Ahmed Culture?? What effing culture are we protecting here. Forced marriages of women? Adultration? Watching porn in blankets while condemning consenting adults? Promotion of slavery in the name of Islamic obedience of elders? Letting domestic violence enchante the grooming of children? Selling low quality products in the name of original? And lastly. Announcing everyone by firing guns that Yess. Today we are going to do Nazebaa harkat in a religious And legal manner?
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Ahmad May 27, 2021 12:55pm
now this is not fair and not right either, they should have chartered a plane i mean nothing wrong with a married couple showing love to each other, however the whole nation does not deserve to see all this
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funnyman May 27, 2021 12:57pm
while i agree that consenting adults doing this is not as big a deal as portrayed. this was before i read that they were asked multiple times to stop. at that point it stopped being display of love or affection for each other and more of deliberate harassment.
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Badar May 27, 2021 01:23pm
only those who are the sons of Robert Baratheon are supporting these type of activity in Pakistan
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Memon Abdul May 27, 2021 01:45pm
I say you are free to do whatever you do wherever you want to do it...but, when in Rome you do as Romans, in Pakistan, you have your scope of freedom within set parameters, when people begin to object you are crossing over to their set of freedoms, thus in this Rome you can't be a total Roman of where ever else you have been. You want to be like that, just travel a little farther out, and then do it. Do it in the ocean, do it in the lavatory, do it when you get off the plane when you are not sharing a space with hundreds of others, who rightfully have a say when they themselves cannot avoid you... You cross over into their space and their freedoms. Good thing I was not sitting next to them, I have a totally radical way of dealing with this kind of a situation, I would have definitely retaliated with some other kind of a public display, surely that would have put them in disgust. Sometimes, when reason finds its way on deaf ears, you have to behave unreasonably...
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TheSceptic May 27, 2021 03:14pm
To all those who say that “this is against our culture”, I have a question. Do you say the same, and with as much stridency, when we see acid attacks, rapes, and honour killings? Do you spend as much time criticizing those evils as you are doing criticizing this act of love, misguided though it may be? If you answer an honest “yes”, fine. I disagree with you, but respect your views. If you cannot answer yes, then ask yourself why. And, perhaps, slowly, start the process of change.
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nayyar hafeez May 27, 2021 03:46pm
Kuch sharam hoti ha, kuch haya hoti ha, kuch ethicc hota in hain
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nayyar hafeez May 27, 2021 03:48pm
Kuch sharam hoti ha, kuch haya hoti ha, Koi ethic hoti ha
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LgbtqX May 27, 2021 04:28pm
At least they were not fighting.
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Gig May 27, 2021 05:23pm
Those who object were feeling jeolous
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AK May 27, 2021 06:20pm
Pakistan has far more important issues facing it then this.
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You want more ? May 27, 2021 06:26pm
@TheSceptic yes any educated person would voice his concern over such matters. And I think you are forgetting that we are living in The Islamic State Of Pakistan were crimes likes rapes, acid attacks are punished severely.The state has social morals and ethics which have to be followed.
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Ga May 27, 2021 06:27pm
Secretly they were all enjoying it, thats why its news in this country!
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Anas Iqbal May 27, 2021 06:35pm
Salam, I wish they had done their intimacy in private. A married couple can do several things to express love but they should do in private. The biggest risk I find is the risk of Evil Eye - which is a real thing. I feel like air Blue just got caught in the middle here! :) sorry Bluey!
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Noneofyourbusiness May 27, 2021 06:44pm
The retards on this comment section just goes to show how polarised the country is. Every incident big or small has an opinion, and those on opposite sides think the others are not only wrong but stupid to think that way. For those saying, so what they were just kissing. You’re partially correct. However when asked to stop, I REPEAT they were asked to stop, they responded with the typical millennial answer. If they had a ounce of dignity, they would have stopped after being asked to do so. Pakistan, is not a liberal country, wasn’t started as a liberal country, if you don’t like it, make something of yourselves and move the hell out. That being said, our country has other MAJOR issues to sort out well before this type of incident should be deemed important.
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Khaled May 27, 2021 07:05pm
@Ahmad. No one asked the whole nation to see it, they should mind their own business.
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Khaled May 27, 2021 07:12pm
@Ahmed True, we could start by stop wearing western dresses, stop using smart phone, stop using loud speakers, stop using imported medicine and vacinations, stop using imported cars and electronic gadgets. etc. etc.
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Zeeshan Ahmed May 27, 2021 07:24pm
How would someone feel if their own child or sibling did that in public?
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AH May 27, 2021 07:59pm
@Ahmed These types of people should be dealt with promptly. It is not part of our culture and if they want to behave like this then go to the West and be vulgar as you wish, have multiple partners and anything else you want.
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AH May 27, 2021 08:00pm
Not part of our culture and should not be allowed.
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Gig May 27, 2021 09:58pm
Its starting soon there will be more on airblue
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Zulfiqar May 27, 2021 10:25pm
@Ahmed A Khan yes they are. And we should be appalled by it. But there was no poverty, political corruption and injustice where this couple was. But I get what you’re saying and I agree with you.
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Afaq Sher May 27, 2021 11:51pm
The singles were consoling themselves Some were pointing out the hypocrisy Invasion of privacy? Some thought PDA was morally wrong While others found it funny Is it about priorities? These are our problems so think about them.
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El Cid May 28, 2021 02:43am
@TheSceptic "this act of love" No, this was not an act of love. Love is many a splendored thing, but this is not it. It was exhibitionism at best, vulgarity at worse.
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rukhsar sani May 28, 2021 03:01am
@zebswati What! COVID is out scope for family and couples. They were not strangers. Were they?
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rukhsar sani May 28, 2021 03:08am
I don't care if they were kissing or what else. But, it was indecent for our cultural and societal norms. Probably there are laws in Pakistan that prohibit such behavior and could have booked! Our behavior must follow the norms of the society we live in. Go live in a country where it is considered normal if you like to have romantic kissing in a public place.
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Imran Khan May 28, 2021 04:32am
Here in Australia, this is counted as Bad that people are lip kissing in public and i am here since more than 15 yeas and rarely find one one in public showing effection at thsi leve? Now if compare to Pak, this looks un acceptable...
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Amir May 28, 2021 09:19am
Does not the media have more pressing issues like child marriages, forced conversion, corruption of all in power, bias reporting, clergies mistreating students in madarsas, no justice for the poor, etc. Should we also not follow the west in these issues?
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Maz May 28, 2021 10:47am
A useless debate indeed.
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Amir May 28, 2021 11:32am
We are not proactive as there is no law and the airoplane has no clue what to do we are reactive only now we will try lesrn to deal with such cases.accordind to norms and laws both love and act of violence is prohibited publically.i am sure if they had a night full of love in private they wouldn't have done it in public.
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Jahanara May 28, 2021 11:35am
@Khaled it reflects the low moral values which are seeping in already corrupt minds.
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Jahanara May 28, 2021 11:41am
@Nauman will you please stop supporting obscenity.. what kind of support is this. Leave religion to a side culturally we are not allowed to display our affection in such a way. Go to cultured countries and you will notice they have their way of behaving and they love to stick with their cultural values… check Japan, Malaysia, Australia etc.. behaving like animals it’s not freedom.
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Amir May 28, 2021 11:41am
We are living in Islamic repulic of pakistan logically this should have been clearly prohibited in the public.even in the west there is dress code as private parts are not be shown in public.as reactive nation we react not proact. Clearly they should have been fined or stoped or whatever.some say as crime is allowed in public so let love also .thats also strongly prohibited.
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Jahanara May 28, 2021 11:45am
@asim I hope you will approve it with the same zeal when your own kids or sisters will display the love and affection in public.
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Jahanara May 28, 2021 11:48am
@D’Souza please leave this loveless society. It will be the biggest favour you will do.
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Jahanara May 28, 2021 11:53am
@Hasnain Haque I can’t understand why do we always have to raise other issues whenever there is something morally incorrect. Freedom isn’t in following and supporting obscenity but in protecting moral values and practicing them. We need to raise our voice against, rape, napotism, bribery and other sorts of corruption including all these immoral acts which few idiots are trying to bring into our already corrupt society.
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Jahanara May 28, 2021 11:56am
All those civilised and highly cultured people who are supporting obscenity are the ones actually promoting humans to start living like animals.. do whatever you want to whenever you want, & wherever you want to!
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Gujjar May 28, 2021 02:15pm
@Ahmed well said sir
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Irfan Huq May 28, 2021 05:03pm
The plane was in air and not in the jurisdiction of Pakistan. Captain of the plane has responsibility and authority. Anything that makes the other passengers uncomfortable should be handled by the captain either moving them somewhere else or ask them to stop it or appropriately Off load them by landing at the nearest airport and then fine them heavily for the expenses involved in diverting the plane and punish them for wasting valuable time of other passengers.
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Kiwi May 29, 2021 04:05pm
Well I have French kissed my wife in a cable car in Murree while it was moving. Good times.......
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Rambo May 31, 2021 07:43pm
That's why it's called AirBlue ;-) next time I'm travelling in this airline!!!!
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