Pakistan on top list of ‘non-smiling’ nations

[Xeric]

Pakistan, Russia top list of ‘non-smiling’ nations


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Croatia and Russia have topped a list of countries where people sitting behind shop and office counters have a surly attitude and find it difficult to smile. Quoting a poll conducted by Nextep agency, Moscow News reported that only 34 percent of shop owners and officials in Croatia and Pakistan smile at people, while Russia came second with 65 percent. According to the poll, Russia has many stereotypes of the surly people behind the counter, who scowl at potential customers. The agency asked shoppers to look for hints of happiness as they bought their daily bread in shops across 14 countries, the report said. The people found a third of Russian and Pakistani staff were “stony-faced”, with 65 percent people scoring on the ‘smile-o-meter’. Tourism offices and guesthouses’ staff were among the least welcoming. The apparent misery behind such attitude of the people is a reflection of working conditions, particularly in the hard-pressed tourism sector and general stores, the report said. APP

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-5-2010_pg7_38

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Terrorism, fear of death, losing dear ones, unemployment, Load-shedding, corruption, fear of future etc affected the psycho of nation. We can't laugh like Dr. Aastana to relax the tension. Imposed war of others snatched smile from the faces of Pakistani nation. How can we smile while burying people, can we smile in Hospital Emergency wards, is there any logic to smile on suicide attacks, people will call us fool if we smile on inflation and such news we listen/watch daily. No such news to smile but keep smiling.

[Sociologist PU]

who can smile in this situation ? Bomb blasts, attacks on minorties, black marketing, loadshedding, rising crimes, soaring prices, record-breaking heat wave, political uncertanity