Neospectacles, September 3, 2020
Improving Pakistan’s Soft Power
(Abid Hussain)
https://neospectacle.com/2020/09/03/improving-pakistans-soft-power/
Hard power has remained the basic tool of the foreign policy of many states in
international politics. The end of the Cold War and the emergence of
globalization in the age of information technology has realized statecraft the
significance of soft power.
The term soft power for the first time was coined by an American political
scientist Joseph Nye in the late 1980s. He articulated that “the ability to get
what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payment”, that includes
“culture, values and foreign policies.”
Broadly speaking, the oxford learner’s dictionary defines soft power as “a way
of dealing with other countries that involves using economic and cultural
influence to persuade them to do things, rather than making them do things
with force via military power”.
Ostensibly, subcontinent remained a British colony from 1849-1947. After
independence, the Indian government implemented soft power by projecting its
civilization, culture, norms and values globally. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not
jump at the opportunity in capitalizing its soft power.
The state of terror and militancy since 9/11 further damaged soft image of the
country. Indian intellectuals and other elements including media have left no
stone unturned to project the soft image of their country. To the contrary
Pakistani diplomats’ intellectuals, academicians, and artists have not promoted
the soft power of the country.
Few elements become hurdles to project the soft image of stunning and
beautiful Pakistan:
1. Foreign diplomats; who have been posted in different countries are enjoying
equal rights like other citizens of host countries. However, they are not
presenting the soft image of our nation the way they should have done it.
There is a need to facilitate them even more and keep a close interaction with
them so that they would represent this country as their mother’s nation.
2. Our Media is not playing its due role to portray the soft image of the
country; they sometimes highlight deteriorating moments which dismay the
foreigners to visit this land. They should be educated to show the positive
image of Pakistan to attract the foreigner and not to alienate them.
3. Google Images; when we surf Pakistan on google, we find terrors and armed
forces with armaments, this shows that Pakistan is an insecure country in
Western minds, when we look to Western countries on google we find lush
green resorts, universities, historical-cultural sites and whatnot. This reflects that
these places are the most ideal and safe places to move to and start a life.
Conversely, in the case of Pakistan, this is not so true, we should show the
world captivating culture.
4. Immigrant; Pakistanis living abroad has a huge potential to be the source of
promoting the soft image. Whatever they do in those foreign lands will have a
direct bearing on Pakistan’s soft image.
5. Use of public figures; mostly celebrities and public figures like politicians,
musicians, models, and sportsmen are not playing their rightful role to project a
positive image of the country.
6. Civil society helps promote soft power of Pakistan, but they are not playing
their due role, they must be educated to portray the positive image of our
people.
7. Intelligentsia is also not describing the country’s image accurately, though
they have ample knowledge in their concerned field to play its role.
8. Triplomacy in diplomacy has been gaining its momentum in international
politics; the world has transformed old traditions of diplomacy to Triplomacy.
Twitter and other sources of social media can be used for the positive image of
this country.
9. Foreign media; Pakistani scholars should contribute to the foreign media to
inculcate the positive culture of Pakistan with robust knowledge.
10. The youth of Pakistan is precious assets, Pakistan is the second-largest
country in youth bulge, there is dire need to empower our youth to portray
Pakistan in the right direction, otherwise, Government of Pakistan will lose its
importance, they ought to be educated to play their due role.
Coming to some positive aspects of the country for projection, we should keep
in mind the talent and spark of this land to pay its due right. Pakistan is the
world’s 26th largest economy, a seventh-largest force of the world, we are
fourth smartest people in the world.
A land with breathtaking beauty, the world’s largest ambulance network,
exceptional infrastructure, the world’s largest man-made forests (Changaa
Maanga), and Asia’s largest bird sanctuary, Pakistan has so much to offer.
The mind-blowing natural scenery at Northern areas of Pakistan is just heaven
on earth for foreign tourists. A country with the largest canal system in the
world and the highest paved international road – The Karakoram Highway
(KKH).
The capital of Pakistan is ranked the second most beautiful capital in the world.
Pakistan boasts the world’s highest ATM (Automated Teller Machine) service.
Gwadar (Coastal line of Balochistan) is known to be the largest deep seaport in
the world; we have had the youngest civil judge in the world.
Pakistanis are the fourth-most intelligent people in the world as per the report
of the Institute of European Business Administration in a survey conducted in
125 countries is concerned. In short, Pakistan needs to make efforts in winning
the hearts and minds of the people by materializing its soft power potentials.
Keeping all eggs in the basket of hard power has proved counterproductive.
Let’s promise as a nation to gain its soft image back.
The writer works at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. Email:
abidhussain@issi.org.pk