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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Hina Rabbani Khar - Pronunciation advice

The youngest and the first woman foreign minister of Pakistan. Even India has never had a woman Foreign Minister (except Indira Gandhi, which doesn't count as she was Prime Minister). Her name is Hinaa Rabbaanii Khar. Indians who love adding a nuqta where none exists, love calling her 'Khar (ख़र)' or 'Khaar (ख़ार)'. The former means 'ass' and the latter means 'thorn'. Her actual name is khar (खर) without the nuqta and with a short vowel sound. That comes from her village name, which became her family name. So if you can read Hindi, this is how it is written

हिना रब्बानी खर

In English, you could read it as 

hin-ah rub-barney cur

And if you can read Urdu, it reads as

حنا ربانی کھر

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