UGLY NATION?

ARE WE AN UGLY NATION? AND I MEAN THIS LITERALLY?

Are Pakistanis ugly to look at? A friend's remark at a dinner out at a desi karahi place prompted me to actually think on this issue. At least on that day the people out to have food weren't the prettiest of the lot I must say! But, seriously, are we a 'good looking' people or not?

The first thought that comes to mind is that there are too many of us to appear nice, good-looking or just plain beautiful! Every where the eye goes there is a sea of people, crowding the horizon. On every street, in every bazaar, in every public place there are throngs of pressed bodies vying for space and air. Then this multitude is poor and destitute and lacks education which translates into poor self-hygiene and grooming. We as a country have an acute shortage of water, why it is so? beats me, for half the country is submerged in flood waters that are going to waste and cause destruction as well. Most people have no access to clean potable water, so showering daily is not only impossible its a luxury. Then a people who are striving to survive have little thought to give to self-styling!

These are the ground realities, but nevertheless, my agenda here is to debate whether we are nice looking people or not. Let us take TV personalities such as Saher Lodhi and his sister who is all over the place, in fashion shows as a model! Is Sahir Lodhi a hunk? Errrr...no! not at all! Is Faisal Qureishi good looking? Are Noman Ijaz, Humayun Saeed attractive in any which way? Again its always a matter of personal taste, but on an average scale of 1-10 they fall somewhere close to a 2?!

If we look at our film stars which of course aren't the norm we can at least get to see the most beautiful people in this country if any (supposedly) Hmmm, so let's see who we have on the horizon, there is Reema, Meera, Noor, Sahiba and now Humaima and the BOl girl well not exactly Miss Universe material!

Wherever I go to the bazaars, hospitals, weddings, offices, I hardly ever see stunning men and women or even cute children. There are just ill-shaped, fat, slovenly dressed, ill groomed men and women all over the place and in huge quantities! Actually it has been ages since I saw pure beauty!!! Hell! I want to see smartly dressed, gorgeous men and women strolling about but nope is the word for that here!

Our skin isn't naturally glossy, our hair sparse and lanky, our bodies de-shaped, our posture weak and unimposing, our teeth yellow and dirty, our hands ill kept, our feet filthy, our gait ungainly, our clothes ill-stitched, our expressions sour!

I think we certainly don't make a very pretty picture!!!