Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): A hashtag has recently went viral in Bahrain among Twitter users. Hashtag #Dad_is_an_officer (#بابا_زابط) was widely tweeted after the circulation of a video showing a quarrel between a Pakistani national and another man wearing Arab clothing.

The footage shows a Pakistani speaking in Arabic, but not fluently, bragging to another man: "My dad is an officer," i.e. a police officer. "You no work..You go sit," he added, which seems to mean that he is telling him: "You don't have work but my dad works to protect you."

The other man responded by saying that he does work for Sheikh Hamad bin Hamad, head of the academy. He might have meant the head of the royal academy for police. Tweeters saw on Monday that they were both bragging and implying they are above the law through their connections. Lawyer Al-Jeshi commented by saying: "‘My dad is an officer' is the unwritten law in Bahrain."

This is what the former Bahraini Al-Wefaq bloc MP, Ali Al-Aswad, also addressed. "Concerning the ‘my dad is an officer' incident," he said "I want to remind you of the video of Bahrain's prime minister telling one of those accused of torture charges that ‘the law doesn't apply to you and us.'"

According to official reports, Bahrain has naturalized thousands of Pakistanis and Arab nationals to work as mercenaries in the military and security forces, although the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), assigned by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, in its report called for integrating the Bahraini citizens, especially Shiites, into these security bodies.

The video sparked anger and sarcasm of Bahrainis and Gulf nationals on Twitter, as they criticized the government's systematic policies aimed at changing Bahrain's demographics.

Mohammad Al-Bouflasa, an activist arrested in 2011, stressed: "I blame some of the ‘useless embellishments' holding high positions, who didn't speak up and publicly reject the carelessness and the abuse of our identity."

As for Aqil from Qatif, he criticized the Bahraini policies by saying: "There is no government like the government of Bahrain. It bought people from all nationalities; Iranians, Pakistanis, Yemenis, Indians as well as Baluchis and sold its people."

لا توجد حكومة كـ حكومة البحرين أشترت من كل جنسيات العالم "الإيراني و الباكستاني و اليمني و الهندي و البلوشي" و باعت شعبها ! #بابا_زابط

— Aqeel #الشيخ_النمر (@ozoa1100) December 18, 2015

Meanwhile, lawyer Rima Al-Shaalan considered the video to be a simple part of the disadvantages of the naturalization process and the absence of law enforcement in the country. Another citizen called Isa Al-Zayani; however, pointed out that "the worst misfortune is what makes one laugh."

#بابا_زابط شر البلية مايضحك تضحك أصيح تنقهر 😔😔😔

— Isa Alzayani (@3ssaAlzayani) December 18, 2015

Activist Mohammad Al-Salman, for his part, called on those who claim to "defend Bahrain's Arabism" to comment on the video.

ودي أشوف أحد المعتاشين على الفتن وزرع الأحقاد والحديث المسموم عن عروبة #البحرين يعلق على فيديو #بابا_زابط ، صُم بكم كالأنعام بل هم أضل سبيلا

— محمد السلمان (@MohdAlSalman1) December 18, 2015

On his blog, Al-Fateh Youth Coalition member Yacoub Slaise stated: "Amid the harsh economic situation caused by a "cocktail" of drop in oil prices, widespread corruption, public money wastage, and the continued political stalemate, the cries of citizens are becoming even louder due to the ramifications of the current naturalization policy adopted by the government."

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