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Baluch Twins accuse PISA of discriminating against them, organisers claim 'flight issues' caused problems

Baluch Twins accuse PISA of discriminating against them, organisers claim 'flight issues' caused problems

The musicians weren't able to board a flight to Dubai for the award show despite being nominated for Singer of The Year.
05 Nov, 2021

Lyari-based musicians the Baluch Twins recently accused the Pakistan International Screen Awards (PISA) of discriminating against them by cancelling their plane tickets ahead of the award show in Dubai. The musicians posted a detailed video on their Instagram and narrated their account of events surrounding the ticket cancellation. PISA organisers, however, say the flight was cancelled.

Adil and Asim Baluch, aka the Baluch Twins, rose to fame after their song 'Gharoli-Ghoom Charakhra' on Nescafé Basement became a hit. Their music means to give importance to Baluchi music, which according to brothers, is not yet part of the mainstream music industry. Their songs are meant to revive and portray the unseen perspective of their cultural music.

The PISA Awards are being held in Dubai on November 5 and the Baluch Twins have been nominated by PISA in the Singer Of The Year category alongside Ali Sethi, Aima Baig, Zeeshan Ali and Sunny Khan Durrani.

The duo posted on Instagram recently and accused PISA of "discrimination" after they were unable to board their flight to Dubai on November 4. According to the post, they had been unable to board the flight because their "tickets were deliberately refunded" by the organisers.

Waqas Rizvi from the operations team at PISA told Images that the flight on which the Baluch Twins were due to travel had been cancelled by Emirates because of which the brothers were unable to travel to Dubai. The musicians were asked to look for and book an alternative flight for themselves and told that PISA would reimburse them for the ticket expense.

But Adil Baluch told Images that a coordinator from PISA informed them via text message on November 2 that Emirates had cancelled their flight but did not give any further clarifications or details. The brothers went to the Emirates office in Karachi with their father to confirm the flight status and were told by the staff that the flight had in fact not been cancelled and was going to Dubai as per schedule.

Adil said that the duo asked a friend's father, who is a travel agent, to reconfirm their flight status as well. The brothers were then informed that the system was not showing their booking details and that their tickets might have been refunded.

The brothers arrived at the airport on November 4 to catch their plane nonetheless. Staff at the check-in counter, however, did not allow them to board their flight and said that their tickets had been refunded, Adil said.

It was after their flight had departed that a coordinator from PISA reached out to them and said they could book the next available flight to Dubai themselves. PISA would pay for half the cost of the round trip after they reached Dubai, the singer said. When the Baluch Twins did not agree with suggested course of action, a heated discussion ensued between both parties after which PISA took back their offer of paying halfway and said to get to Dubai by their own means if the brothers wanted to attend the show, Adil explained.

Other PISA attendees on the same flight as the Baluch twins were able to board the plane which then left as per schedule. He named several celebrities who were able to board the plane.

Adil and Asim say they aren't sure why "PISA stopped them". "Is it because we are Baluch or we are from Lyari and are not privileged enough?" they asked in their Instagram video.

According to Rizvi, however, PISA does not have any issue having the Baluch Brothers at the show. He said they were not aware that the brothers were Baluch — despite their names being Asim and Adil Baluch — and thus could not have discriminated against them on that basis to begin with. The PISA representative told Images that the brothers were offered a paid trip to Dubai after the show by PISA as "compensation" for not being able to attend the actual award show.

He said there were several cancelled flights and the ticket prices were very high, so they asked the twins' manager to book their flight themselves as the ticket prices were greater than their budget. He said that the musicians tried to book a flight at a higher price but weren't able to do so.

This isn't the first time controversy has shrouded the PISA Awards. In 2020, the awards came under severe criticism for what PISA described as "teething issues". They ghosted a number of celebrities like Osman Khalid Butt, Usman Mukhtar, Ali Safina, director Saqib Malik, Ahmed Ali Akbar, Teepu Sharif, Nabeel Zafar and Nadia Afghan after inviting them to Dubai for the show. The celebrities said they were initially invited by PISA and nominated in various categories, however, the organisers simply disappeared before the show.

Comments

abdus-samad peera Nov 05, 2021 07:11pm
It seems they did not fit in with the rest of the elite PISA crowd. Blatant case of discrimination.
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Amjad Durrani Engineer USA Nov 05, 2021 07:37pm
Very sad and indigestible. Nothing new as it is going on unbridled for the past many decades and destined to continue in future too.
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M. Emad Nov 05, 2021 08:10pm
The Baluch Twins do not look like 'Pakistani' !
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Fast comment Nov 05, 2021 09:54pm
Why Balochis are so sensitive, that became annoyed at little things, these guys can afford Dubai trip, there shouldn’t be any issue.
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Silke Nov 05, 2021 11:22pm
And quickly, he will play a CIA agent in a movies commissioned by Apple for his future platform. how to watch movies
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Faisal Ansari Nov 05, 2021 11:29pm
Pakistanis worship light skin
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NYS Nov 05, 2021 11:31pm
The whole course is Insensitive if PISA organisers are not capable to commensurate nominees don't create whole drama
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Amjad Durrani Engineer USA Nov 05, 2021 11:37pm
@Fast comment you definitely don’t belong to Baluchistan & seem to be totally ignorant. A province which has been supplying natural gas since 1958 to all other parts of the country, remain unconnected till 1984. A province where 2.3 million out 6 million eligible remain out of school because of lack of facilities & those enrolled in 90% of the existing 2 room depreciated rural schools are without drinking water and toilet facilities. A province where 4 out of 10 children die before reaching age of two, again due to lack of health facilities & 48% of those who survive suffer from stunting growth due to malnutrition. A province where literacy rate remains 29% less than 1/2 of national average, unemployment 35% because the available jobs are taken by outsiders & above all 68% of the population is suffering from abject poverty. Under this backdrop, it is extremly painful to see those who excel in any field despite all odds, not being treated at par with others from affluent provinces.
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Amjad Durrani Engineer USA Nov 05, 2021 11:39pm
@abdus-samad peera a pair of red herring of course.
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Mamoon Khan Nov 05, 2021 11:47pm
@M. Emad what do they look like?
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Mamoon Khan Nov 05, 2021 11:49pm
@abdus-samad peera elite? Ducky Baha’i is from a lower middle class family but he got to go to PISA - it’s because they are Makrani and Sunni Punjabis can’t stand anything or one who doesn’t fit the mould
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Alexandra Nov 05, 2021 11:55pm
Emotion are a big part of the movie and the viewers might get upset and even cry. 123 movies
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Shakir Nov 06, 2021 12:55am
Thses are young guys & bit disappointed PISA being a organizer the show should have shown maturity to facilitate them, it seems clearly mishap from the organizers. Cheer up guys sky is limit.
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E-Mad Nov 06, 2021 01:08am
@M. Emad nobody thinks that way yet your mentality is shown here
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SEA Nov 06, 2021 02:34am
Where are all those celebrities who had bycotted shows earlier on harrassment etc. This is plain nonsense discrimination. Utterly disgustiny Have never watched awards shows in the past and will definitely not watch them ever again. Stay strong Baluch brothers. Talent, skill and hardwork will carry you forward past the boundary where nepotism, favoritism cannot put the rest of our clumsy cheap entertainers
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Dubdub Nov 06, 2021 04:42am
PISA sounds like a big fraud.
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Rebirth Nov 06, 2021 06:48am
Products of nepotism fearing the rise of genuine talent from the grassroots. So, what else is new in Pakistan?
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A Nov 06, 2021 08:05am
You are not Punjabi.
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Baba Ladla Nov 06, 2021 08:37am
New ways to discriminate against the Baluchs...
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memon abdul Nov 06, 2021 08:43am
who is PISA?
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Margart Nov 06, 2021 09:37am
The release date in India is being delayed for a long time now. how to watch movies together online
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Rehana Bounse Nov 06, 2021 09:38am
@M. Emad that is ridiculous. Completely racist comment. What doesPakistani mean? All creeds, all ethnicities & religions are included. Remember the green & white of the flag.
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Rehana Bounse Nov 06, 2021 09:40am
@Faisal Ansari definitely. Ridiculous but true
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nk Nov 06, 2021 07:43pm
LIYARI Vs DEFENCE. Pure discrimination
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nk Nov 06, 2021 07:45pm
@M. Emad We have a heaven for Bengalis too where they living in full harmony. Do you want to join.
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nk Nov 06, 2021 07:46pm
@Fast comment The question is did PISA arranged the ticket for others.
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nk Nov 06, 2021 07:50pm
This case is condemnable and should be investigated and PISA should be banned.
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Kash Nov 07, 2021 02:48pm
Shaver also didn't go due to the fact they didn't let him know where he was due to stay/accommodation. The PISA organisers are not competent.
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