There are many definitions to explain public diplomacy but it generally is the process by which governments are conducting foreign policy to promote their national interest through direct engagement with the public of foreign countries, however if we compare it with the traditional way of diplomacy that is more of government-to-government relations. US public diplomacy consist of number of activities for their target public. Since the 9/11 attacks, public diplomacy has been considered as an important part of US foreign policy in Pakistan. Pakistan and US bilateral relations have been suffering from on and of disconnect especially because of anti-American public perception. Even if there is an improvement in relations at official level, the negative public perception does affect the bilateral relationship is no doubt true that America’s image in Pakistan is extremely negative. During last year, Pakistani public especially youth considered American involvement one of the factor responsible for regime change along with many domestic factors so anti-Americanism has no doubt increased in Pakistan.
US has taken different public diplomacy initiatives in the last decade especially during Obama administration to change their negative public perception. The Obama administration took some major steps about public diplomacy to achieve their goals in the region. During his administration the new strategy known as “Pakistan Communication Plan” was developed. The plan focused on four areas; first was to engage media, second wants to build communication capacity, third was to strengthen and people to people ties and fourth was to counter extremist narratives.
Under this framework US engaged in both traditional and public diplomacy ways to counter anti Americanism. US public diplomacy used different tools to achieve positive public perception of Pakistani public. The United States embassy in Islamabad hosted a very large number of high-level visitors regularly. The US ambassador to Pakistan has been engaged in traditional diplomacy like attending meetings with Pakistani government officials including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, but also engaged in massive public diplomacy efforts. He has been conducting meeting with business leaders, industrialists, journalists, students and civil society leaders.
US ambassador Donald Bloom in his address to the ceremony to observe 75 years of diplomatic ties of US and Pakistan in 2022 stated that ” US has been working on human development in Pakistan. We have long history of accomplishments in Pakistan. Since 2011, we have trained 91000 teachers and bring i800 Pakistani students to the US every year in education and exchange programs and have a lot of high level of 37000 Pakistani representatives in US”. This shows that US is working on educational development programme along with trade and investments. Now the US has taken many steps in the field of educational and professional development. In 1950, the US in Pakistan established US Educational Foundation in Pakistan which seeks to promote people to people understanding through education and culture exchange programs. This foundation offers programs for Pakistani students to study in America while sends American scholars to universities in Pakistan. This provides academic opportunities for cultural and traditional exchange between people of US and Pakistan.
Among many scholarship programs USEFP administrates the Full Bright Program. American graduate’s programs require high academic requirements but exchange programs target students from different diverse backgrounds with less international exposure especially from remote areas. Educational exchanges can be considered more successful instrument of US public diplomacy in Pakistan.
. Along with educational exchanges there are many professional exchange programs. For example, the Hubert Humphrey fellowship program which consist of 10 to 11 months graduate level study to gain professional experience in a field of interest. This program has range of professions from agriculture development to communication and journalism. Apart from that Pakistan’s International Visitor Leadership Program take Pakistani to US on a range of issues including administration, communication, management etc. There are English teaching programs by State Department to provide better academic and career opportunities and example of a program is US sponsored English Access Program to develop English language skills for 14 to 18 years old underprivileged students. Apart from that there are many partnership programs of Embassy of United States in selected institutions of Pakistan.
Lincoln Corners is one of the examples of it which provides reading rooms located within universities, public libraries and cultural centers. It provides access to current and reliable information about America through books magazine movies E- libraries. Currently there are 18 Lincoln corners open across Pakistan. There are exchange programs for writers, musicians and journalists as well which includes University of Lowa’s International Writing Program. The aim of IWP is to provide authors inter-cultural opportunity, time and space to read, write, travel and research. For musicians, One Beat is another exchange program which collaborates on writing, producing and performing original music. This program develops strategies of art based social engagements. Apart from that, US Pakistan Professional Partnership for Pakistani journalists which sends them to the Gaylord college of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Oklahoma for media exposure and training. Media is another tool which can be used for public diplomacy.
Pakistani media has kind of anti-American bias which poses public diplomacy challenge for the US in Pakistan. VOA (Voice of America) is the broadcasting service of US government in Pakistan to achieve public diplomacy objectives. VOA began Urdu broadcast to Pakistan on 13th May 1951. It launched Radio, “Aap Ki Awaaz” on May 10, 2004. VOA also launched Urdu language television program, “Khabroun say Aagay” on November 14, 2005. VOA also serves as public diplomacy tool in tribal areas of Pakistan having most of the anti-American sentiment. In October 2006, VOA launched “Deewa” Radio for Pashto speakers. In 2010, VOA and Express news channel launched English language talk show “The Platform” which was first collaboration program by Pakistan and US. The VOA’s quality can be however considered questionable as it is totally pro American.
One more tool being utilised by America for public diplomacy in Pakistan is social media. In October 2009 Pakistan’s first mobile phone based social network “Hamari Awaaz” was launched. In floods of 2010, “Hamari Awaz” crucial role in flood recovery efforts people use network to share relief efforts by typing word “FLOODS” to the free SMS short code 7111. Lastly another public diplomacy tool used by US in Pakistan is USAID assistance program, which provides assistance to Pakistan in field of education health development economic growth agriculture development etc. Recently USAID produced the “Sar-e-Rah” drama series to promote gender equality and USAID success stories and social inclusion projects.
There are many public diplomacy challenges including trust deficit between Pakistani American people. People still does not view US as reliable partner in Pakistan. Though there isn’t any silver bullet fix for the trust deficit but efforts from both sides can repair by bileral relations.
