A viral account by a US content creator has prompted mixed reactions after she claimed that border authorities held a Pakistani man at the Turkey-Bulgaria crossing despite him having proper EU documents. The incident, she said, showed how travel can still be shaped by prejudice.
Jenny, a travel vlogger who showed her American passport in a video, wrote on Instagram that the whole incident was “sickening”.
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“What should’ve been a simple border crossing from Türkiye to Bulgaria turned into a 3-hour delay, all because one passenger had a Pakistani passport. He was questioned for hours. Not once, but by multiple officers, as if simply having a Pakistani passport was reason enough to treat him with suspicion,” she continued.
She further claimed that the man who was temporarily detained “lives and works in Luxembourg, a Schengen country”. Jenny wrote that the man had all his documents, including a “residency permit, employment verification, and proof of address.”
However, she also praised her fellow passengers for patiently waiting for the Pakistani passport holder. “What stood out to me most, though, was the quiet solidarity on that bus. No one complained. No one asked for the bus to leave him behind. And the drivers, without hesitation, refused to continue the journey without him,” she posted. She concluded her share with a video.
{{/usCountry}}However, she also praised her fellow passengers for patiently waiting for the Pakistani passport holder. “What stood out to me most, though, was the quiet solidarity on that bus. No one complained. No one asked for the bus to leave him behind. And the drivers, without hesitation, refused to continue the journey without him,” she posted. She concluded her share with a video.
{{/usCountry}}How did social media react?
The video prompted mixed reactions. While some shared that the woman was rightfully outraged, others supported the authorities.
“I’m so glad to hear everyone stuck with him and was so caring,” an individual posted. Another remarked, “I mean, Pakistan is famous for ONE thing. You can't blame the world for pattern recognition.”
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A third expressed, “As a Pakistani, this was so heartbreaking to read. and I'm so glad you all didn’t complain and didn’t make the guy feel any more embarrassed or guilty.” A fourth wrote, “This is quite literally me and my husband, who has the same passport. This is really how it is; we have plenty of stories, even travelling as a couple where I have a strong passport. It's absolutely sickening that this happened to this man… it’s always lesser known/less popular countries that make the biggest issues, too!”