A complaint has been filed in a consumer court against a restaurant in DHA Phase 8, Karachi, over claims that a customer was denied entry for wearing shalwar kameez — Pakistan’s national dress.
The petitioner, Advocate Latif Baloch, alleged that he was barred from entering the restaurant while visiting with friends, solely due to his traditional attire. According to Baloch, the staff informed him that the restaurant had a policy disallowing guests in shalwar kameez and asked him to leave.
Terming the policy discriminatory, Baloch stated in his petition that restricting access based on cultural dress goes against national values and basic consumer rights. He argued that such practices alienate people from their own identity and have no legal or moral justification.
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He has requested the court to direct the restaurant to issue a public apology and to impose a fine of Rs 1 million as a penalty for what he described as humiliation and unfair treatment.
The consumer court has accepted the case and scheduled a hearing for July 14.
The incident has sparked debate on social media, with many users calling for greater respect for traditional clothing and urging restaurants to revise dress codes that may be seen as exclusionary.