The rebranding of Pakistan


Written by Sohail Malik • Cover Stories • October 2010

5-1 At the outset let it be said that Pakistan is already a brand, yet not one that any of us, the moderate and liberal majority, would want to associate with. Our image has been captured not once but on multiple occasions over the years. We are considered obscurantist, fanatical, more often controlled by the lunatic fringe and, as projected by our next door well wishers, having an unsteady, possibly crazed finger on the nuclear trigger of a supposedly ‘Islamic Bomb'. The world has seen us and they do not like what they see, be it in the live coverage transmitted daily of women being brutalized, minority rights being infringed, rabid mobs denouncing this, that or the other in a frenzy of religious outrage or in the reports relayed by all other news sources. At the moment we top the list of people who are religious firebrands, easily swayed by any fatwa delivered from any crackpot jihadist pulpit. Our misdemeanors seem endless and we cannot be sure what new horrors will emerge to surprise us any time soon. In short it can be categorically stated that we are not getting good press at all.

5-2 Whether we like it or not, we have already been branded and most negatively so, in that no holder of this, now infamous, green passport can hope to openly display it without dreading the consequences. Our neighbors have most vociferously denounced us as exporters of terrorism and the general perception throughout the world is that we are leaning strongly towards being forever dubbed a ‘terrorist nation'. How can this mark on every one of our faces, quite like the brand mark burnt into the rumps of cattle hides with a hot iron, be removed, how can we ever unmake our myriad mistakes, our sins of omission and the taking of endless commissions? The catchphrase these days is that we must jump onto the bandwagon of Nation branding like other countries in the region, whose successful campaigns have come to our notice, such as Malaysia Truly Asia and Incredible India. It's all very well to have a wish list, which highlights our so obvious, only to us, strengths and positive features but, in the given circumstances, who will ever believe us? Much can indeed be written eulogizing this truly wonderful part of the world in the image building of Pakistan but now any well deserved paeans to the motherland have to also take account of some of the hard and ugly realities persisting in our homeland and to somehow counter the all pervading negativity. With the prevailing ground realities of civil unrest, economic instability and travel advisory warnings against visiting this region, it would be wishful thinking on our part to expect a sudden influx of tourists in the near future.

Country brands have both intangible and tangible elements, such as the products or services of the particular country. The more specific aims of country branding are to create or advance the ‘country-of-origin' effect, so as to promote exports, or else to attract investors, which would be inwardly oriented. Point wise, to sum up the main thrust of such a campaign, we would have to address the following aspects in our campaign:

To distance the country from the previous system, prevalent before this planned transition: This means disowning fanatical fundamentalism, backwardness in thinking, religious bigotry, sectarianism, ethnicity, endemic corruption, nepotism, cronyism, desperate poverty and inferior or deficient infrastructural facilities?
To change negative or false stereotypes or reinforce some positive stereotypes associated with the country and its people: Some of the perceived typecasting about us is so deeply rooted throughout the world that it may be difficult to alter but a cultural diplomacy offensive and a concerted public relations campaign may actually prove to be more effective and credible ways of improving those perceptions and give us an incentive in the search for positive clichés about ourselves. What should emerge from such a promotion would be a pluralistic image of a multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-dimensionally diverse modern nation.
To position the country anew, as a reliable and eligible member of any economic grouping, such as the SAARC or some new Central Asian Bloc like the RCD of old: We may have to rely somewhat on the moral, financial and political support of more developed regions or nations, called ‘centre nations', such as China or Turkey. Our Branding requires some valuable endorsements from such centers of somewhat better development and greater progress than us, thereby giving our campaign some measure of legitimacy.
To position Pakistan as a pivotal state for the region and the potential leader of transition for the whole of Central Asia: We need to compete for the financial, commercial, logistical, tourist or cultural centre position, such as that of becoming a kind of ‘hub' state. This can result in our vying for a regional leadership role, where multinational companies become desirous of establishing their headquarters of the region here. This is very possible to achieve, given our large and youthful population, the high numbers of technically skilled professionals in the work force, who are hard working and hungry for success with a large computer literate English speaking cadre, possessing entrepreneurial capability along with the fair amount of Manufacturing capability and potential for growth present within the country itself.
In connection with the promotion of Pakistan as a ‘hub' state the role of its National Flag carrier, PIA, is quite crucial: Despite chronic mismanagement and abysmal planning over many years now, this airline has an almost invincible quality about it which ensures that, despite everything, it still enjoys incredible ‘goodwill' around the world. By offering special discounts and incentives, while expanding flight services to the major destinations where holders of a NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) reside, the burgeoning population of expatriates from our own Diaspora across the globe, which one conservative estimate places at well over five million persons, will be well served. At the same time, NADRA (the National Database & Registration Authority) would be given a much needed boost in enhancing its records, thereby delivering innumerable benefits to the project by keeping our nationals abroad positively linked to their place of origin and who, when traveling, feel it's ‘Just Like Coming Home'.
Branding will also facilitate redefining and reconstructing our national identity, which should also be undergoing a change during this transition: We as a people have to face the questions, ‘who are we?' and ‘how do we want to be seen by others?' We should take this opportunity to re-invent ourselves rather than allowing others to invent us. Branding, by a kind of consensus this way, has an important role in this process and will generate a lot of positive discussion about identity.
Country branding will boost self-confidence and also provide an opportunity of becoming proud of our achievements in such a transition: Branding will strengthen the ‘we' feeling and unite the country as a whole because it will project home truths, such as the overall friendliness and hospitality of our people throughout the land. Other positive aspects, emerging from the unprecedented natural calamities we have faced as a nation, amply demonstrate our courage, resilience and resourcefulness in the face of adversity. We have always displayed fortitude, forbearance and perseverance in overcoming the odds. Considering the level of contributions, in cash and kind, collected locally during emergencies and even otherwise, Pakistan rates as one of the most charitable countries of the world, which speaks volumes about our genuine regard and fundamental concern for humanity in general.

The kind of campaign which has to be launched and some of the strategies that we can adopt will form the basis of subsequent pieces on this very vital issue. Whether we wish to accept it or not, it is definitely a subject which is of fundamental importance to our future welfare and well being as a nation?