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]”Let people be whatever they want to be.” [/quote]
Hafiz Sahib, that is great message. Really.
One of my favorite quotations from Khalil Gibran:
“I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.”
from the poster u have to read tht its about PIA if u get close to it from far it will look like some magazine add like MAG VOGUE or watever!60s was modern but theres a fine line bw modernity and modesty this picture will show 2% of the women in pak not the 98% that will see the pic an wud have said “darn”
i can say with utmost respect that its “not the pic of modern pakistan” y we have to show our selves that way as shown by the west to equilibrate ourselves as mods? are/were they the dictionary of modernism?
its sad when we forget wat we are!!!
This is a very good site and makes you think about what is Pakistan. We are people uncomfortable with ourselves. Which is why in every discussion we bring in Islam. Cant even talk about cricket without bringing in religion. I hope we can go back to being a open socciety we once were made of different views and differnet type of peopel without anyone, mullah or military, trying to impose their views on anyone else. Let people be whatever they want to be. That is real freedom.
Pakistan is not an ad. Pakistan is not a naara. Pakistan is us. It will be what we are. If we are progressive it will be progressive. No use in discussing what Pakistan should be. Better to work on making it what we think it deserves to be. Lets DO something.