Clarks Sandals

The High Art Of Haggling in Pakistan

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Haggling is a high art in Pakistan , and given my Pakistani heritage, I like to think I’m quite good at it. But bargaining isn’t always about getting a discount; often you’re simply trying to avoid getting stung. Few things are exempt – I’ve even seen aunts haggle over half a kilo of aubergines! I realise that the custom of bartering can make outsiders feel uneasy, but here’s the thing: for us, haggling is a matter of honour rather than humiliation. Consider it a form of cultural expression. It’s not about being a miser or trying to buy something you can’t afford, it’s simply about paying a good price and not being exploited.

My extended visits to Pakistan have taught me how to drive a hard bargain. I know that many Pakistanis, born and bred in Britain, just don’t have the inclination or the experience to haggle, and they end up becoming notoriously easy prey. As a bystander, I’ve frequently heard shopkeepers make an astute admission whilst quoting a price to a relative: “I’m giving you the local price, not the price we give to foreigners!” That’s why I try to blend in as much as possible. I’ll stick to the local lingo and avoid speaking English lest my broad Yorkshire accent gives the game away. And until the deal is sealed, I won’t discuss payment options – “Do you take Barclaycard or American Express?” Yet the shopkeepers are somehow blessed with a seventh sense with which they can sniff out tourists like me. Something as subtle as my comfy Clarks’ sandals or my demeanour can betray that I’m thinking in pounds rather than rupees, and, lo and behold, up goes the price! A friend of mine was once charged 10 times the usual fare for a short taxi ride in Islamabad!

Source: Sabotage Times