[See SAJAforum's full coverage of the Mumbai attacks]
Poor Miss Pakistan World.
She, ie. 23-year-old Natasha Paracha, agreed to appear on CNN to speak about something she clearly doesn't know anything about: India-Pakistan relations in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. She was also caught on camera, self-consciously touching her face as it to make sure her makeup were okay. And her earpiece kept falling out of her ear. And if that weren't humiliating enough, they made her wear her Miss Pakistan World sash.
But then she had to go and say this:
"The image of Pakistan has been threatened with these recent attacks. And I feel that now as Pakistanis we have to stand up and condone what has happened in the country of India and in these Mumbai attacks."
Surely she meant "condemn," yes? Well, unfortunately for the two nations on the brink of war, she repeated herself, most confidently.
CNN host ANNA COREN: How can this image be improved?
PARACHA: We as Pakistanis need to work together. And Indians as well need to work. And work on this friendship we have. And condone these attacks, thoroughly.
CNN's Coren must've thoroughly enjoyed the exchange. She had not one but two chances to subtly correct Paracha, and chose not to.
Paracha, by the way, is a graduate of UC Berkeley, according to this interview, and currently works as the chair of Pakistani affairs with the United Nations International Renewable Energy Organization..
She concluded by saying, "The government is doing the best it can but definitely it's going to be long battle, it's going to be a long war against terrorism."
