After Pakistan Refused to Take Part in War against Yemen…A Racist Caricature against Pakistanis in a Bahraini Paper

SHAFAQNA –The 76-year-old Bahraini caricaturist, Abdullah Al Muharraqi, published a racist caricature against the Pakistanis after the Parliament of Pakistan decided last week not to take part in the war against Yemen and backed neutrality in the conflict. The caricature published in Akhabr Al Khalij newspaper affiliated to the Bahraini Prime Minister, Khalifa bin Salman, shows an image for the Saudi king, Salman bin Abdulaziz, holding a bag of money in his one hand and a firearm in his other and giving them to a Pakistani lying down in a bed. In the caricature, the king is represented saying to the Pakistani “Go Fight”, while the later answers, “I can’t”. The king then says, “Take This” referring to the money, the Pakistani replies, “Oh! Really”. The dialogue reflects the nature of the Saudi-Pakistani relation, on the government and people level, which build on giving commands in return for money.

This caricature expresses a racist and arrogant look from the side of gulf states’ rulers towards Pakistan and its 180 million people, who are always regarded as poor people and whom governments of gulf provides with money.

These Pakistanis, from their part, have to agree on the orders issued by the gulf rulers even if the orders were contrary to the Pakistani interests.

It is to mention that Abdullah Al Muharraqi is born in 1939 and has worked for Akhabr Al Khalij newspaper affiliated to the Bahraini Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman, since 1976.