Can Pakistan Craft Its Own Cool Pakistan?
Sameen Malik
Rawalpindi: In an era where narratives shape nations, public diplomacy has emerged as a vital tool in a country’s soft power arsenal. Pakistan, however, has yet to fully realize its potential in this domain.
Its image abroad continues to be largely shaped by negative media portrayals centered on political instability, extremism, and economic hardship. What’s missing from the global discourse is Pakistan’s vibrant culture, rich heritage, and creative human capital.
At the heart of public diplomacy lies the power to persuade international audiences and build long-term goodwill through culture, values, and ideas. It requires more than just state-sponsored messages; it demands credibility, openness, civil society engagement, and cultural storytelling. Yet, Pakistan continues to rank low in global soft power indices. According to Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index 2023, Pakistan fails to make it to the top 60, lagging behind even some of its regional neighbors.
Japan, by contrast, has invested significantly in cultural diplomacy. Its Cool Japan initiative offers a compelling model for countries like Pakistan aiming to revamp their global image.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/rethinking-us-public-diplomacy-in-pakistan/
Launched in 2013 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and backed by a ¥50 billion ($500 million USD) Cool Japan Fund, the program aims to project Japanese culture including anime, fashion, cuisine, and design into global markets. The strategy targets youth audiences worldwide, leveraging Japan’s pop culture appeal to boost tourism, exports, and national reputation.
Despite criticisms of bureaucratic fragmentation, Cool Japan has delivered measurable benefits. Japan’s cultural exports have risen, tourism has boomed, and the nation has solidified its position as a global cultural powerhouse. Most importantly, it has provided a platform for Japanese creators and industries to thrive internationally.
For Pakistan, the lessons are clear. A centralized body or cultural fund—akin to the Cool Japan Fund—could help strategically promote Pakistani culture across fashion, film, food, and music. The current ad-hoc approach, with disconnected efforts by state institutions, fails to generate the necessary impact or coherence.
Pakistan’s creative sectors, from truck art and Sufi music to contemporary fashion and independent cinema, are rich with potential. Yet they remain underutilized in shaping international perceptions.
Digital platforms, in particular, offer enormous opportunities for cultural projection. Japan’s use of online media and streaming services to distribute its content globally is something Pakistan must emulate. Encouraging young digital creators, artists, and entrepreneurs to take ownership of national narratives can serve as a powerful antidote to the monolithic portrayal of Pakistan in mainstream international news.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/diplomacy-beyond-closed-doors/
Another valuable aspect of Japan’s soft power strategy is its Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program, which fosters long-term relationships and cultural exchange with foreign nationals. Pakistan could develop similar ambassadorial and youth-exchange initiatives to encourage intercultural understanding and people-to-people diplomacy.
Civil society should be brought into this effort—working alongside the government, media, tech industry, and creative professionals—to develop a comprehensive cultural diplomacy strategy.
Investing in soft power is no longer optional; it’s essential. In today’s interconnected world, a nation’s reputation is not just shaped by its policies but also by the stories it tells and how it engages with the world. Japan’s Cool Japan is not a model to copy wholesale, but it offers a roadmap for how a country can effectively package its culture for global consumption.
Pakistan must recognize that soft power is not the preserve of economic giants or media empires. It stems from authenticity, creativity, and strategic vision.
By building its public diplomacy infrastructure, supporting the creative economy, and fostering cross-sector collaboration, Pakistan can not only counter negative stereotypes but also project a confident, dynamic, and culturally rich national identity to the world.
The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.
Sameen Malik, a final semester IR student at FJWU, Rawalpindi.
