Toward a Pakistani Media Strategy

Hi all,
It surprises me the author is so het up about contriving to give pakistan a "good image".
he (or any institution(s)) that finance such a project will only loose money!
Images cant be built by money. Period.
It takes a lot of hard work, and some "inherited Karma"!

Take the Indians.
Their hard work is for all to see.
In Indira's time, under PL 480, they were forced to eat the wheat meant for PIGS, that the USA thought fit to "dole out".
Now the same indians are poised for their own indigenous moon shot (no it is NOT a mere paint job dears).

The "inherited karma" part is the good work doen by the ancestors af the people of india, who have been famously "good and tolerant" since the time of Alexander!

And what are Pakis famous for?
1 - The Bangladesh Genocide (documented well).
2 - The sweeping under the carpet of teh humdoor rehman report.
3 - Dastardly teachings in their text books portraying other religions as BAD, and portraying the hindu positively in a bad light.

Lastly, Offense if best defense only in war dears, One cannot "only loot and not murder" someone..taliban beheadings .., then shout "but such & such a dakait - read america - actually killed people you know"..(the so called positive offense)... and hope to get a positive image!

This is the same pakistan where poor foreign journalist ws beheaded by dastardly mughalesque treachery!

Come on, the world has its own intelligence.

Re: # 5 by Salim
This is what I call more than a million dollar question!

Can the two co-exist behind a common message?

Hi friend,
what u r saying is media managing about a bad case.Has any ELECTED pakistani leader has survived SO FAR? Even today the impeachment of Presidnet ddpends on the socalled IMPARTIALITY OF ARMY and not on its people.Even his security is being debated by giving him asylum in spain and not in PAKISTAN ITSLEF.
Greatness lies NOT in never falling but in rising every time we fall.

Pakistani people in the US may execute a media blitz to
change the image of Pakistan and its people but what about the western journalist who visit the country from time to time. A journalist from an American magazine visited Pakistan post election (when PPP won majority) and spoke to common man. He found both average and movers-and-shakers of Pakistan as an uninformed lot interested ONLY in sensationl conspiracy theories with no connection to ground realities. I'll post more details of this article when I rummage thru my old mags.

So, the million dollar question is what are you going to do about the free thinking western journalist who visit Pakistan, talk to the people both in power and not and then roll on the floor holding their tummy when they see Pakistanis twisiting like a pretzel involving everyone from Israel to India in their misfortunes? How would you explain to them that a handful of burka clad women armed with sticks decide to take a city hostage and they are STILL celebrated as heroes by the people of the city? How? How would you explain that the largest political party's leadership, which champions democracy, was bequeathed from the slain mother to her 18 y/o son who up until that handover was busy partying in UK? How?

If strategies and propaganda was alll that is needed to create an impression then neither Pakistanis would have had any identity issue nor Islam would have been associated with terrorism (who else is involved in more propaganda?).

If all you want to do is to work at grassroot level to create propaganda and false impression then that time is already past. With each passing day you have more and more people who simply can't be fooled any more.

Even a powerful nation like USA can not repeat an Iraq style gross deception, forget about Pakistan where not just identity of individuals but identity of truth itself is always at stake. One common message from Pakistan? Well it is that everybody in Pakistan has something to do with Islam. Want to refine it? Well state what is it in Islam that they are related to in some good or bad way?

The second generation of Pakistani americans grew up amidst a lot of confusion and troubled memories of past from ealier generation. The third generation neither has this confusion nor any confused memory.

The third and future generations of Pakistani americans can remain associated with Pakistan only if Pakistan shares the values that they will nurture in USA, no amount of begging or even threat will be able to force them into any kind of love with Pakistan.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS, AIN'T IT?


"Decide on and unite behind a common message."

As an Indian who has been on this site since 2000, I am yet to find the elusive common message behind which all Pakistanis can stand. Is it Urstruly's Pakistan? Or HamidM's Pakistan? Can the two co-exist behind a common message? What is the message going to be?

Ethan,

Thanks for this article and the work you and Fawad are doing. Much appreciated.

I also see the first seeds of how a site like chowk should function...you do mention the strong purpose. Something that alot of us chowkies have been begging the chowk editors to provide: to focus the site.

Of course, the editor has not responded to us, as we are pigmentation over sufficient. However, I'm certain that the editor will respond to you given you are most likely ...ummm...white.

So if they do listen to you, I would be happy to funnel my suggestions to you and you can pass them on to the editors.

Again, chowk mismanagement aside, thanks for the good work you guys are doing. "Community organizing", change via the grassroots, it seems, is the way to go.

Good one, Ethan. Wishing you much success!

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Well said, Ethan. I encourage all that you say -- I am a poet, and I want to feature my work as an existence itself of: The New Woman. The New Pakistani Woman I published a book recently: "Glass-butterflies Caught in a Prism," but avoiding different headaches, I decided to get over with my degree first. People don't listen to you unless you have paper.
Happy Independence Day -- I'll fight for it.

Fatima Ijaz Mirza.
someextracts.blogspot.com
In the nearest language, it always works.