Pakistan has been relatively quiet recently as compared to the global buzz it amassed during Khan’s trial and imprisonment as well as during the conflict with India. However, could that be a good thing? Could this be the perfect time for Pakistan to rebrand their image and move towards greener pastures, so to speak?


It is no surprise that throughout the years, Pakistan’s major issue other than political instability has been a greatly detrimental national branding, especially post 9/11. The Pakistani government has not really paid much attention to nation branding as a concept and for this reason, the majority of the West continue to view it as an unsafe state that supports terrorism negatively impacting foreign investments and other sectors like tourism. Even though the facts are very different, our government has done little to correct that sentiment.

This negligence has led to other nations in the area, namely India to bask in mass popularity and subsume our identity as well. Many cultural aspects that are shared between India and Pakistan are globally seen as being Indian only and Pakistan is only left as being seen as an extremist state. One major reason for this is India’s excellent use of Cultural Diplomacy. The concepts of Yoga, Bollywood, South Asian cuisine are all synonymous with India due to their exhaustive government backed efforts to promote these facets as representing what India’s identity is as a nation. This not only improves their international image, it helps build strong relationships with other nations and would naturally lead to other monetary benefits as well.


However recently, India has seen its branding take massive hits. Due to the rise of the right-wing Modi-led BJP government, India’s identity as a peaceful nation conflicts with their government's acts of questionable intentions. One example is Justin Trudeau’s accusation of India’s involvement in the killing of Sikh Separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in 2023.

Pakistan on the other hand has made great efforts in reducing safety threats in the country, with major cities having virtually no such incidents. Also cultural factors of Pakistan have also been on the rise. More specifically, Pakistani music has gained worldwide attention through Coke Studio, which blended Western music and Pakistani Folk and traditional elements to create a product with mass appeal. Pakistan’s tourism, especially towards the North in Hunza and Skardu have also bolstered Pakistan’s image as a hospitable nation with breathtaking scenery, attracting foreign interest. This is particularly interesting as India’s tourism has had some chinks in the armor. With one British travel youtuber contrasting the two countries and heavily favouring Pakistan rather than India as a travel destination.


Though, Pakistan has also had its setbacks, namely the involvement of the military in political affairs of the country being viewed negatively by the rest of the world. However, if Pakistan can successfully capitalize on their current cultural advantage over their neighbours, who will not stay down forever and are bound to make a comeback, then there may be hope for a Pakistan with increased foreign investments, more cultural exchanges, and greater opportunities in general.

For countries such as Pakistan and even India, becoming a giant through sheer military might is not realistic when you have established entities such as the United States, Russia and China who would rather not see more competitors join their ranks. That is why using cultural diplomacy and adopting a holistic nation branding strategy to improve their economic situation in the long term will allow a country like Pakistan to steadily build influence and soft power.