Rethinking US Public Diplomacy in Pakistan
Mehr-Un-Nisa Sardar
Rawalpindi: By any measure, the relationship between the United States and Pakistan is complex—a delicate dance of cooperation and mistrust, aid and accusations, strategic alliance and suspicion. For decades, politicians and diplomats have juggled these competing dynamics through diplomacy, military engagement, and economic aid. Yet one crucial dimension has been largely overlooked: public diplomacy.
Public diplomacy the U.S. government’s outreach not to foreign governments, but to the people—cannot be dismissed as a soft “add-on.” It is a vital tool for reshaping perceptions, building enduring institutions, and fostering mutual interests. In Pakistan, effective public diplomacy could transform a secretive, transactional alliance into a meaningful partnership that benefits ordinary citizens.
Let’s be candid: America has an image problem in Pakistan. Surveys repeatedly reveal rising antipathy toward the U.S., fueled by drone strikes, perceived favoritism toward India, and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Across the board—from ordinary citizens to the media to civil society actors—many Pakistanis view the US as arrogant, self-serving, and at times, hostile.
This skepticism isn’t limited to elite diplomacy; it permeates the public consciousness. Yet U.S. public diplomacy efforts have been inadequate to address this challenge.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/diplomacy-beyond-closed-doors/
To be fair, American cultural diplomacy has had successes. Educational exchanges like the Fulbright program have produced thousands of Pakistani alumni with more nuanced understandings of America. Language initiatives, cultural festivals, and scientific partnerships have created positive connections. But these efforts often operate in isolation, disconnected from broader political realities and vulnerable to being undermined during periods of crisis.
What is missing is a coherent, credible, and genuinely engaging public diplomacy strategy that listens to Pakistanis and works with them.
Public diplomacy is not propaganda or branding. It is about dialogue, collaboration, and co-creating solutions with local partners. Pakistan’s own public diplomacy practices offer valuable lessons—empowering local voices rather than sending top-down messages from Washington.
Instead of merely inviting American speakers or promoting abstract U.S. values, why not spotlight Pakistani changemakers advancing environmental protection, education, or women’s rights? Why not partner with independent media, digital content creators, and student forums to openly discuss difficult topics like press freedom, extremism, and even past US foreign policy missteps? By showing vulnerability and authenticity, the U.S. can build the credibility it desperately needs.
Today’s public diplomacy cannot be confined to embassy receptions or elite circles in Islamabad. The battlefield for hearts and minds is digital, decentralized, and youth-driven. With over 60% of Pakistan’s population under 30, this generation does not want lectures—they want to be heard, challenged, and inspired.
Effective public diplomacy must meet young Pakistanis where they are—on YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, and campus debates—not just with rehearsed platitudes about “shared democratic values.”
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That is where real stories begin: stories about Pakistani Americans, grassroots health and disaster relief projects, or the diverse, sometimes messy realities of life in America. These narratives resonate far more than official press releases or staged events.
Historically, U.S.-Pakistan relations have been transactional—military and counterterrorism aid in exchange for strategic cooperation. But public diplomacy demands a long-term vision: investing in people, not just policies. It means expanding educational exchanges beyond elites and supporting Pakistani civil society not merely where geopolitics dictates, but because it is the right thing to do.
Ironically, some of the most impactful U.S. diplomacy in Pakistan has come from ordinary people—teachers, musicians, entrepreneurs, and volunteers in the spirit of the Peace Corps. Imagine if that kind of engagement became the norm, rather than the exception.
It is time to move beyond the tired rhetoric of “do more” and “mutual suspicion.” The United States must tell a new story—one of honest partnership, not paternalism. This requires humility: admitting past mistakes, whether supporting military dictatorships or inconsistent policies. But it also demands hope—hope grounded in what can be achieved when two vibrant, complex countries choose dialogue over distrust.
Pakistan is not a problem to be solved; it is a partner to be understood. Public diplomacy done right can be the bridge that finally closes the gap of mistrust.
The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.
Mehr-Un-Nisa Sardar, a final semester IR student at FJWU, Rawalpindi.
