When protesting against rising inflation in Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) politician Hina Parvez Butt clearly couldn’t relate.
While the former parliamentarian was supporting the complaints against the spiked prices of living she didn’t even take into consideration how the public would feel about her exuberantly priced handbag.
پنجاب اسمبلی کے باہر مہنگائی کیخلاف احتجاج کرتے ہوئے pic.twitter.com/iMfcDaTQij
— Hina Parvez Butt (@hinaparvezbutt) October 26, 2021
For those that missed it at the actual protest, Hina Parvez Butt made an added effort to let them know by posting a picture of herself protesting against inflation outside parliament with a classic double flap, gold clasped, Chanel leather handbag
The iconic beige 2.55 design with an interlaced created by Karl Lagerfeld was unmistakably sticking out. According to the Chanel website, this classic purse is priced at $7,800. So roughly Rs1,369,624.
Given her reputation as a fashionista, it’s highly unlikely the bag the PML-N leader was seen sporting was a high-grade knockoff from China.
Even if it was a thrifted item, these bags retain their value, or in certain cases, the price tag even goes up as certain colors are discontinued.
So naturally, Netizens weren’t going to hold back from calling out the politicians ‘sincere empathy for the public’.
پنجاب اسمبلی کے باہر مہنگائی کیخلاف احتجاج۔۔۔ pic.twitter.com/yiFQBLv5Qu
— Hina Parvez Butt (@hinaparvezbutt) October 27, 2021
While we’d expect any parliamentarian to dress formally and uphold a certain level of finesse, an almost eight thousand dollar handbag is not at all appropriate for an anti-inflation protest. At best the move seems to stem from ignorance. At worst it signifies how tone-deaf the carrier really is.
Pakistan just raised the minimum wage to Rs25,000. Yet with current inflation, many lower bracket workers/labors are taking on any jobs at far less pay. Especially after a stagnant market in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic.
