LAHORE: Touching the lowest levels of personal attacks and vileness, Imran Khan’s Youthiyas have now viralised a video on social media showing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa being insulted by a bakery employee. The video has spread like wildfire. Critics argue that this video is a by-product of the same culture of verbal abuse that Imran Khan, the modern Maula Jatt, has fostered against his political opponents, and which his Youthiyas are now pushing forward.
The PTI troll brigade, in spreading the video, is trying to create the impression that this is a recent incident and the result of the ongoing tension between Supreme Court Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Qazi Faez Isa. However, the bakery administration has clarified that the unfortunate incident occurred in early August this year, for which they have already apologised to the esteemed customer for the inappropriate behaviour.
The Youthiyas are spreading propaganda on social media, claiming that the bakery in Islamabad has been sealed and the employee sacked. However, both claims are false. The actual incident took place in the first week of August, when Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa went to Crusteez Donuts in Islamabad’s Blue Area with his family for shopping. After placing his order, the bakery employee at the counter began recording a video and asked, “Are you Qazi Faez Isa?” Justice Isa’s daughter, who was standing beside him, informed her father that the employee was asking for his name. The Chief Justice questioned what relevance his name had to his shopping, but then confirmed, “Yes, I am Qazi Faez Isa.” The bakery employee responded with, “Curse on you.” Justice Isa, surprised, asked his daughter what the man had said, to which she replied, “He said, ‘Curse on you.’” The video cuts off at this point. It appears that Justice Isa and his family were unaware that they were being filmed during the exchange.
Following the viralisation of the video, Imran Khan’s Youthiyas have turned the bakery employee into a hero, praising his indecent behaviour. People are visiting the bakery, taking selfies after purchasing items, and posting them on social media to express their support for the employee. Social media is flooded with pictures showing long queues of Youthiyas outside the bakery. Claims are also being made that the employee was sacked and the bakery sealed after the incident, but Christie’s Donuts management has issued a statement on social media denying all such rumours. They clarified that their policy does not allow for any mistreatment of customers.
“Our customers are our top priority, and we are committed to treating each one with respect,” the bakery administration stated.
The bakery also explained that the company does not discriminate in its services based on a customer’s beliefs, race, or political or religious affiliation. After the unfortunate incident, they have begun re-training their employees. They apologised to their respected customers who were affected by the indecency and assured that the employee has not been fired, although he has not returned to work since the incident. The bakery further clarified that none of its branches have been sealed, and the pictures of sealed outlets circulating on social media are from last year. The company’s F-6 branch in Islamabad was sealed by the CDA in July this year, but this had nothing to do with the recent incident. The bakery was reopened the same day after paying a fine.
While the vile and disgusting mindset of the Youthiyas spreading Qazi Faez Isa’s video on social media is widely known, general users are condemning it. Most people believe that such behaviour is against moral values and should be curtailed. They argue that, after 76 years, the seeds of intolerance, indecency, and verbal abuse are bearing fruit in society. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Imran Khan, by using Maula Jatt style verbal attacks to gain popularity, has cultivated a generation of rude and ill-mannered Youthiyas whose tongues are now nearly impossible to rein in.
