✍ Waqas ur Rehman – Pakistan
In the changing dynamics of world affairs where countries are increasingly interconnected, they are no longer assessed only by their military might; rather other factors are being calculated such as economic and cultural resources. The 21st Century has seen a clear leaning towards more delicate and non-coercive means of influence commonly known as “soft power”, a concept which was coined by renowned political scientist Joseph Nye. According to him, a country can influence the preferences and views of others through power of attraction and appeal, instead of threatening or blackmailing them. Pakistan can greatly enhance its international image using soft power resources. Unfortunately, some of the global media outlets negatively portray Pakistan through the lens of militancy, political instability and corruption. Pakistan can rebrand itself as a land of peace, harmony and prosperity to counter the negative stereotyping.
Pakistan is usually targeted for having a security-oriented foreign policy over the past decades; however, this trend has a strong foundation. It has been facing security related issues, both internal and external, since its inception. It has fought major wars with its eastern neighbor, India. Retrospectively, the world has under-appreciated Pakistan’s contributions to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions, fighting the war against terrorism and resilience in the face of natural catastrophes. Reframing Pakistan’s image is not a cosmetic activity; rather it is a strategic imperative. Pakistan has huge potential for soft power which includes dynamic cultural legacy, abundant human capital, rising digital innovation, diplomatic goodwill, tourism, foreign investment and diasporic involvement.
Pakistan’s cultural legacy is the main feature of its unique identity. The country, originally inhabited by the Indus Valley Civilization, is a crossroads of civilizational wealth enhanced by the Islamic, Persian and South Asian influences. The historical sites of Taxila, Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa and Takht Bhai reveal significant sites of learning, trade and cultural exchange in ancient times. The Gandhara Buddhist legacy offers a unique tourist and diplomatic opportunity vis-a-vis China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Pakistan has great opportunity for promoting its historical assets by organizing cultural shows, showcasing relics in museums and storytelling through digital means. Fortunately, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been collaborating to rehabilitate many of the historical sites in Pakistan.
Media is another significant tool for a country’s soft power. Regrettably, Pakistan lags behind in presenting its story via global media platforms. Some of the media outlets in the West and India project Pakistan as a failed state, neglecting the positive developments. In order to counter this, Pakistan requires crafting of strategic narrative for projecting optimistic approaches along with the empowerment of journalists, academicians, artists and diplomats. Importantly, Pakistan should focus on establishing a worldwide competitive English-language media channel serving as a mirror for broadcasting the soft messages. It should follow the trends and strategies employed by the BBC, TRT, DW, Al Jazeera etc. Apart from that, Pakistan can make efficient use of social media platforms for international communications. Its youth, comprising 60% of the total population, should be trained to use digital diplomacy for evidence-based storytelling.
The Pakistani diaspora, amounting more than 9 million worldwide, is the underused soft power asset of the country. They have been rendering their services in technology, business, medicine and education in the US, the UK, Canada and Gulf States. Apart from remittances, they can be effectively utilized for promoting foreign policy objectives, bilateral relations and soft image. Pakistan must devise a comprehensive strategy to link the national agenda with the worldwide Pakistani population by creating diaspora councils, arranging cultural events and enabling educational exchanges. Moreover, encouraging academics to participate in international seminars and conferences, and engage in intellectual networks can help in building Pakistan’s understanding and goodwill. Notably, Pakistan has been providing fully funded scholarships to members states of the OIC and the SAARC. Such initiatives help in fostering the positive image along with mitigating the one-dimensional negative image.
Interfaith harmony is another area through which Pakistan can enhance its global soft image. Many holy places of the Sikhism are located in Pakistan. Opening the Kartarpur Corridor for Indian Sikhs was a masterful display of cultural and religious diplomacy. It gave the impression of tolerance, friendliness and respect for minorities in Pakistan. Apart from that, other communities such as the Christians, the Buddhists and the Hindus have been living freely in the country enjoying due rights, thus highlighting Pakistan’s policy of inclusiveness. The country’s forgotten Sufi traditions and literature, based on love and peaceful coexistence, should be revived which would counter the extremists’ narratives.
The creative economy of Pakistan, though often hampered by funding and censorship, has immense value of soft power. The renaissance of the Pakistani cinema, growth of the drama industry, award-winning fashion designers and globally streamed music testify to the talented generation keen to reconnect to the outside world. The renowned music program “Coke Studio” has been attracting millions of viewers both at the regional and the global level. Pakistan can amplify such creative activities through funding for film festivals, cultural exchange programs and translation of local literature.
Sport is another area where Pakistan enjoys tremendous soft power capital. Pakistan remained the world champion in cricket, hockey, snooker and squash. Likewise, the country’s sportsmen have significant achievements in wrestling and mountaineering. Despite security issues, the successful hosting of international cricket events like the Pakistan Super League (PSL) shows Pakistan’s efforts in attaining global soft image. Sports create harmony and peace across ideologies and borders, and that is the reason Pakistan has been expanding sports diplomacy by inviting foreign teams, for deeper global engagement.
Pakistan must promulgate a national soft power strategy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) or the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) to harness and coordinate soft power elements into a unified framework. The concerned authorities should integrate cultural, economic, academic, media and diplomatic sectors with embassies, universities and civil society. The key recommendations include (i) establishing a Pakistan-based global communication network for monitoring global media, (ii) countering disinformation and promoting national narratives, (iii) launching literary and cultural centers abroad, (iv) creating a fund for global academic and creative representation by supporting researchers and artists, (v) constructing long-term partnerships with international platforms such as the BBC, DW, Netflix and the UNESCO for projection of local culture, and (vi) utilizing the young generation through digital apps for conveying messages of love and peace.
Pakistan’s potential for soft power is multi-dimensional, and deeply rooted in its history, culture and values; yet it remains fragmented, untapped and reactive. The country must move from image-repair to image projection. The ultimate goal is not to construct a new image; rather to highlight a genuine one, based on the principles of hospitality, diversity, harmony, creativity and resilience. Pakistan must have to speak for itself, instead of merely countering the opposing narratives.
