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How Sharmila Farooqi's Burberry bag wreaked havoc in the Sindh Assembly

That bag is the bomb. Well, at least that's what some ministers thought

Updated 11 Apr, 2016

Provincial minister Sharmila Farooqi's handbag created quite a stir at the Sindh Assembly today — but you'll never guess why.

The bag wasn't the center of attention because it was super stylish. It caught everyone's eye because Sharmila had left it unattended, leaving fellow ministers to wonder whether there was a bomb in the bag — you know, airport-style 'unattended luggage.'

It was all very confusing, and then even more so when the assembly's speaker Agha Siraj Durrani ordered staff to put the bag in water... probably to stop the bomb inside it from exploding?

Here's a closer look at the bag - Screengrab

The situation did not last long as Sharmila, upon her return, claimed the bag.

From our vantage point the bag looks like a classic Burberry tote, which checks in at $895 or so.

We're pretty sure Sharmila would've been mad if it had ended up in a bucket of water!

Comments

Harmony-1© Apr 11, 2016 04:09pm

A real "Burberry bag at $895 or so". How nice of our politicians to be able to afford such luxury. I hope her declared income can justify such things!

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Shaan Apr 11, 2016 04:21pm

Hilarious. Lol

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Noor Memon Apr 11, 2016 04:34pm

What a showmanship by the leaders of a poor,debt-ridden country!

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Asif Kashmiri Apr 11, 2016 04:34pm

I pitty the people who vote for them

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Common Sense Apr 11, 2016 04:40pm

@Shaan Its not hilarious, its sickening. The money she used to purchase the bag most likely came from OUR taxes.

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truthspeaks Apr 11, 2016 04:42pm

can anyone in this world beat such a productive assembly session. my heart bleeds ...

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AAN Apr 11, 2016 04:43pm

I wonder how these parliamentarian find time to discuss such issues. May be they have nothing to do. !

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Majeed Apr 11, 2016 04:46pm

I'm sure the bomb disposal people who risk their lives to diffuse bombs will be amused to hear that placing a bomb in water is enough to diffuse it and they've been risking their lives needlessly all these years.

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Common Sense Apr 11, 2016 04:48pm

Most likely bought with Sindh's Annual Budget.

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Falcon Apr 11, 2016 05:16pm

@Harmony-1© Her husband is owner of a TV news channel named Capital TV.

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Truthful Apr 11, 2016 05:33pm

I cant believe security is so much flawed in Sindh Assembly. What if it had a real bomb in in side. would they investigate after it went off. ?

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Harmony-1© Apr 11, 2016 05:44pm

@Falcon - That's nice...she can have more luxuries then!

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Saad Apr 11, 2016 05:46pm

@Truthful Calm down brother.. It was with Sharmila otherwise it was not been able to get inside

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yasir Apr 11, 2016 05:52pm

oh plz do not throw it in water...otherwise she will buy a new one and tht also from our pockets again....

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Shoaib Apr 11, 2016 05:55pm

Not just the politicians, many people in Pakistan can buy this kind of bag. Conversely, many in developed countries can't.

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Naxalite Apr 11, 2016 05:55pm

A bag of 900$ and we can guess her monthly expenses easily. How much tax is she paying?

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divergence Apr 11, 2016 05:57pm

and to think that dying children in thar aren't worth $1, talk about misplaced priorities, when simple luxury items are superior to the cost of human lives.

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Fahad Apr 11, 2016 05:59pm

only for pppp leaders not for poor people of Sindh....Afsos

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khanm Apr 11, 2016 06:08pm

her charm is good enough to cause a wreak havoc ..

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saeeds Apr 11, 2016 06:11pm

@Harmony-1© They are people who are rich in this country and it happened every where also.

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Zack Khan-USA Apr 11, 2016 06:19pm

@Common Sense Exactly, I agree with you. Unfortunately most Pakistanis don't care!

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Pholosopher Apr 11, 2016 06:24pm

let's find out how much Ms . Farooqi paid in taxes during her tenure in public office. I bet it's less than the bag's value.

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mustafa Apr 11, 2016 06:44pm

Can someone ask FBR for her tax returns since she became minister or parliamentarian, and publish it in newspaper. So that her Burberry could be justified or otherwise. it is a valid question.

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Mirza Apr 11, 2016 06:46pm

Pakistan is full of the fake Burberry bags. Even my niece has one in the high school. They are identical in the looks and cost about $25 and are made in China. This is the oldest and most copied design in the world. Not too many people can tell from the difference between genuine and replica. Nobody would leave his/her so expensive stuff just lying down.

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Mujahid Apr 11, 2016 07:07pm

corrupt politicians....

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Amjad Wyne Apr 11, 2016 07:14pm

To all those speaking against this lady - DO NOT BLAME HER...she did not elect herself. She sits in that chair because of YOU. So ACCEPT that you are the cause - TAKE THE BLAME and elect someone else. That said, know that others sitting around her may not have the same handbag but they are not too far behind in the corruption race.

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Skeptic Apr 11, 2016 07:19pm

Dubai is the destination for 'Genuine Fakes'.. The place is well known for very good copies of luxury items for a fraction of the real thing, and no one will know the difference except, the manufacturer of the real item. So let's not get excited here.

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AA Apr 11, 2016 07:35pm

I wonder of people dying in Tharparkar know how much a Burberry bag costs...Jiya Bhutto

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George Apr 11, 2016 07:42pm

The video is hilarious. What if it was a real bomb? The assemblyman don't seem to be taking the bomb threat seriously

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Chicago Apr 11, 2016 07:49pm

These people talk about poverty with $900 bag in hand, we elect these crooks to lead us.

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NAS Apr 11, 2016 07:59pm

@Harmony-1© ..... Must be a gift.... Simple :)

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Mo Ash Apr 11, 2016 07:59pm

Irresponsible behaviour by Ms Farooqi; given the prevailing security condition in the country she should be cautioned.

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Concerned 1 Apr 11, 2016 08:08pm

Somebody has to tell our politicians the difference between a fashion icon and a politician around the world a politician atleast apparently shows responsibility of being simple with elegance not extravagant with brands all over himself.

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khan Apr 11, 2016 08:18pm

She just wanted people to notice her expensive bag which they had been neglecting since a long time !

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Samad Chaudhry London Apr 11, 2016 08:28pm

(THE BAG) Her beauty and charm was justified to have such a lovely bag matching her personality. Many would envy it.

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Khwarezmi Apr 11, 2016 08:29pm

895 dollars would have saved many childrens lives in Tharparker. I guess a classic Burberry tote is more important then saving children dying from hunger and thirst. What a rotten system!

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Thoroughthinker Apr 11, 2016 08:47pm

Just a hand-bag costing $895 or Rs.95,000 left unattended shows the mind-set of the person caring it carelessly.

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Eldrick Lal Apr 11, 2016 08:49pm

Why so dumb not knowing that Sharmila was sitting there?

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Dare Apr 11, 2016 08:58pm

As long as it was purchased by her from declared income, there should not be any issue.

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Harmony-1© Apr 11, 2016 09:02pm

@Samad Chaudhry London - Yes, the bag definitely has "beauty and charm"!

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aslam shaikh Apr 11, 2016 09:17pm

For a change our politicians were scared, how funny...

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Naveed Apr 11, 2016 09:46pm

I bet the bag was a fake which cost her around $50 in Dubai. Would she've left it unattended if it was worth nearly 100k rupees? Or a real iPhone 6s? I doubt it,

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Zubaida khan Apr 11, 2016 09:48pm

@Common Sense She is married to Hashim Riaz Shaikh who is a Wall Street investment banker. The salary of an investment banker starts at around $850,000 per year or $70k per month , or Rs 70 lakhs per month. So that bag is really peanuts.

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Khan - NYC Apr 11, 2016 09:51pm

Wow. Place it in water. The great Agha Siraj Durranj has rendered bomb disposal squads obsolete!

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Saleem USA Apr 11, 2016 09:55pm

Most likely its fake. You can buy them for pennies in China Town in New York.

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Mac Apr 11, 2016 10:30pm

ATTENTION READERS - The bag in the assembly is not the same as the one on Burberry's website. I don't know why people start making assumptions without checking the facts first.

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al Apr 11, 2016 10:43pm

The RICH leaders of a NATION.

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somethingfishy Apr 11, 2016 11:35pm

leader of poor peoples party!

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somethingfishy Apr 11, 2016 11:39pm

@Shoaib but with who's money? the looted money from poor nation? and claiming to be poors' leaders?

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somethingfishy Apr 11, 2016 11:45pm

A lot of comments are about her income and taxes. Nice. till a few years ago there was not such saoor in majority of the people. Thank you Imran Khan for raising taxes issue so many times that now people care about it.

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Lucky Star Apr 12, 2016 12:13am

@truthspeaks Need to be positive; it does not look good to portray everybody corrupt.

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Lucky Star Apr 12, 2016 12:15am

@Chicago Not everybody is crook, my wife carries even expansive brand, and I am just a professor in a college.

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Khan Apr 12, 2016 12:23am

12 billion rupees corruption every day in Pakistan so what's so wondering if some one has a bag of 900 $ ? Members of assemblies get multimillions from budget funds for development of their constituences but never spend on those fools who have elected them. I agree with majority comments. Do not blame her,

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Bearish Apr 12, 2016 12:52am

In US, earning $600k per year, still never thought of such a accessory for my wife. "Unbelievable"

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Rao Apr 12, 2016 01:21am

@Harmony-1© Look it was bought by her own hard earned money. Why do you complain? Why shouldn't women enjoy wearing good looking dresses and other things.!

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Rao Apr 12, 2016 01:26am

She is a very good looking woman and also very intelligent. Why shouldn't she wear an a good looking hand bag too. People can be so disgustingly jealous!

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Philosopher (from Japan) Apr 12, 2016 01:46am

I think with such money at least 895 children could have been saved from dyeing due to drought in Thar keeping the standard poverty measure of $1/ day in mind.

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BULLPITAJI Apr 12, 2016 01:57am

She owns a bag cost $895 about 90,000 Pakistani rupees and she belongs to PPP Gareeb Awam Parti and she stands for Roti Kapra aur Makaan for every Pakistani and She stands for Socialism , when would our Public learn and realize about these AWAMI Leaders.

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Azar Mahmood Apr 12, 2016 06:50am

You want to know what that bag is really worth? Drop it in water and watch the woman scream out how expensive it was.

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Anwarahmad Apr 12, 2016 07:32am

Why hue and cry.It may have been gifted by someone.

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fida USA Apr 12, 2016 08:14am

$895=Rs94,870.00, almost one lac Rupee. This is a earning of a laborer for the year. Does this lady is fit to be the minister of Sindh, where a Hari toil for one full year in the field to earn this amount.

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Akil Akhtar Apr 12, 2016 08:16am

looking at the bag you realise how people are fooled into paying huge amounts of money in the name of designers for ordinary looking items.

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Akil Akhtar Apr 12, 2016 08:17am

My wife has a bag looks very similar for just $10....LOL

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Nomi Apr 12, 2016 08:55am

Oh ! Thank God they didn't put it in H2O.

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Haris Apr 12, 2016 09:26am

@Harmony-1© No it would be a GIFT, not from her personal earning. Politicians are much poorer than average salaried people

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Mrs.khalil Apr 12, 2016 10:24am

Unfortunately Assemblies turned into fashion ramps , instead off blaming politicians , we Should blame ourselves , for the past sixty years , we elect them again and again , now these politicians treat us as Fools ,

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Sami Khan Apr 12, 2016 10:40am

How can she afford to buy such an expensive bag from her honest salary?!??!?!

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nafees Apr 12, 2016 11:10am

Please don't grudge the poor girl's bag. It is priced under 1000 dollars. Our PM, who lives on loans/ remittances from his sons, wears a Louis Moinet 'Meteoris' watch worth 4.6 Million dollars.

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Common Sense Apr 12, 2016 05:20pm

@Zubaida khan Tell that to the people of Thar who need every penny of help.

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AliPasha Apr 12, 2016 09:36pm

@Common Sense What taxes.Barely 0.8% of the Pakistani population pays taxes.

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Amer Rao Apr 16, 2016 02:06pm

Oh Poor Nation.

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Intel Apr 16, 2016 04:40pm

This reminded me about the wife of our Prime minister Modi, who still travels in public transport & survives on her school teacher's pension. What a stark contradiction! Although I disagree with Modi's policy, his simplicity makes me proud. This is the difference we have between India & Pakistan.

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khanm Apr 17, 2016 01:25am

brilliant speaker asking some one to put the bag in water...assuming it will diffuse the bomb...does he deserve to be the speaker ...

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