Adil Najam
PIA print advertisement from the 1960s (Originally uploaded by PakPositive.com which is a blog that highlights the positives aspects of Pakistan).
Let me continue with the ‘Image Pakistan’ theme in choosing the picture for today. I find this advert for PIA absolutely fascinating; both for what it says about how PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) saw itself and how it saw Pakistan (or wanted Pakistan to be seen).
Was this the reality of Pakistan before theso-called ‘darhi wallahs’ took center stage? Or was this ‘image’ of Pakistan as much out-of-sync with the reality of what was Pakistan then, as the image of the bearded-gun-totting-bomb- throwing-jihadi-Pakistani is today?
Speaking of ‘image’ and ‘brand’ the Association of Pakistani Professionals (AOPP) has recently launched an initiative on the subject and held a thoughtful and thought-provoking event on he subject in New York on June 3. I was asked to moderate part of the program, and found the discussion to be mature, reasoned and reasonable–something we should have more of.
[quote comment=”3321″]”But was the society as a whole (not just some elites) any more liberal than it is now. I am not sure.”[/quote]
Ahsan,
Yes, I think socially it was more liberal era then; there was more religious freedom; attacks on places of worships were unheard of. Loudspeakers were quieter and didn’t spew as much hatred as they do now. Couples holding hands in the parks or on the beaches were not asked to produce nikahnamas by the police. No one cared if you partied or celebrated the New Year. There was no ban on music or movies. Yes, it was a more liberal society that way. Political freedoms, however, were limited because of the miltary dictatorship.
We have greater freedom of expression and of press today — not because of generous heartedness of any individual, though, but because of the Internet, satellite channels and globalization of information.
[quote comment=”3162″]Someone told me this was from the days of Omar Qureishi, the Berkley graduate who became popular later as a cricket commentator. He was some sort of PR head at the PIA.
In any case Mast Qalandar, you did get me a bit nostalgic (though I never lived in the 60s anyway) – btw I still stick with ‘khuda hafiz’ as a small protest against Ziaism..[/quote]
bhitai,
Yes, Omar Kureishi, the cricket commentator and columnist, was with PIA but one can’t say if it was he who was instrumental in bringing out this particular ad. Incidentally, he went to University of Southern California, not Berkeley.
I believe “Khuda Hafiz” is as Islamic as Allah Hafiz. Plus it is more indigenous. They switched over to Allah Hafiz during Zia’s time when he tried to Arabize things. Ironically, Arabs do not use Allah Hafiz. They say “ma-assalamah” for goodbye.
The Advertisement almost makes me want to fly PIA after 10 years avoiding it!! two thumbs up to the marketing team of the 60s.
So ads were more racy then. They are still racy. But was the society as a whole (not just some elites) any more liberal than it is now. I am not sure.
Allah keep the muslims on the right track