CSS Pakistan Affairs | Soft Power in Leveraging Pakistan’s Objectives
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Rimsha Gulzar under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Differentiating between hard power and soft power approaches
3-Components of soft power that Pakistan can leverage to enhance its objectives
- ✓Enhancing cross-border trade
- Case in point: Functioning of CPEC
- ✓Promoting global peace
- Case in point: Participating in the war on terror and Pak Army participating in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions
- ✓Introducing Scholarship programs for students of least developed nation
- Case in point: For Sri Lankan and Hungary’s student’s scholarship based education in Pakistan
- ✓Focusing on developmental assistance
- Case in point: Pakistan’s 100 billion US dollar aid for Afghanistan and the formation of Jinnah Hospital in Kabul
- ✓Ensuring cultural diplomacy
- Case in point: Pakistan’s participation in United Nations General Assembly music competitions and in the Committee of Information and Cultural Affairs (COMIAC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
4-Comparison of soft and hard power approaches
- ✓Attraction vs coercion behavior
- ✓Intangible versus tangible gains
- ✓Extremist theology vs moderate Islamic Principles
- ✓Neutral vs biased foreign policy
- ✓ Long-term vs short-term plans
5-Critical analysis
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Foreign policy is the basic component of soft power, which is indispensable for the secure and bright future of nations. Moreover, the transition of soft and hard power is changing the political context and has made soft power more relevant than hard power. Similarly, the basic key components of soft power can be leveraged to enhance the objectives of Pakistan; these include cross-border trade, cultural diplomacy, scholarship programs for least-developed nations, and developmental assistance. However, these soft power components are different from hard power approaches, like coercion, stagnant theology, and biased foreign policy. In a nutshell, soft power is crucial for a peaceful and strengthened nation.
Difference between soft and hard power
Soft power was first introduced by Joseph Nye in 1990 as the ability of a country to influence others without using force. On the other hand, hard power means using military and economic pressure to influence other countries. Therefore, hard power and soft power are different on account of their approaching methods because soft power follows intangible resources like cultural diplomacy, cooperation, and peace, while hard power follows forcible activities.
Soft power components that can be leveraged to enhance the objectives of Pakistan
There are multiple soft power components that help Pakistan build its soft image and enhance its objectives. Some of the most important are the following.
- Enhancing cross-border trade:
Pakistan has the two most developed countries, India and China as its intermediate neighbours and has the most oil and gas-rich countries, like Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iran l, in its neighbourhood. The Pakistan Economic Corridor is a greater opportunity for the country to enhance its objectives of national interest and peace promotion. It would help the country to ensure its security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and economic stability.
- Promoting global peace:
Pakistan is participating in global peace-promoting activities that can help the country achieve its objectives. For example, Pakistan ranks 6th out of 152 countries whose army participates mostly in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Its endeavors in the War on Terror are prominent aspects of the country’s soft power components, which are playing a dominant role in global peace.
- Ensuring cultural diplomacy:
The country has huge potential for cultural diplomacy and can produce soft power to achieve its objectives. Various archaeological sites, traditional foods, folk music, ethnic diversity, sports, and literature highlight the country’s cultural outlets, such as Pakistan winning a music competition at the United Nations General Assembly. Hence, it is concluded that the country’s cultural heritage is a vital component in enhancing its objectives.
- Focusing on developmental assistance:
Developmental assistance is a pertinent instrument of soft power. Pakistan, despite being included in the list of recipients of the world, has helped Afghanistan with 100 US billion dollars and established Jinnah Hospital in Kabul for developmental assistance of its neighbour in 2019. In brief, it would promote people-to-people relations and could enhance its objectives.
- Introducing educational scholarship programs for least developed nations:
Internationalization of education has important role to produce soft power image of Pakistan . In fact, it is a way to share social, moral ,and cultural values of different nations . The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan announced scholarship for students of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka , Hungary , and least developed nation of the world. In short exchange of educational programs may leverage the country to enhance its objectives.
Comparison of soft and hard power approaches
After analyzing the key components of soft power that can be leveraged to enhance the country’s objectives, it is essential to compare hard and soft power approaches.
- Attraction vs coercion
Soft power components are based upon attraction, persuasion, cooperation, and sharing of values, ideas, and interests. On the other hand, hard power relies on coercion, which is dependent upon force, threats, sanctions, and resentment.
- Intangible vs tangible resources
Soft power consists of intangible resources, including intellect sharing, cultural diplomacy, and cross-border and international trade. In contrast, tangible resources include military interventions and economic sanctions.
- Long term vs short-term plans
Soft power enables nations to work collaboratively for the long term because their relationship is based on trust and mutual understanding. While hard power has short-term plans for the management of resources and relationships because they depend upon hard policies and threats.
- Neutral vs biased foreign policy
Soft power prefers neutral foreign policy and well being of all. But hard power has biased foreign policy promoting chaos and destruction.
- Extremist theology vs moderate Islamic Principles
Soft power includes moderate Islamic principles consisting of global peace and security, sovereignty for all, and mutual cooperation. Contrarily, hard power is through racial, religious, and colour discrimination and violation of the rights of special sections.
Critical analysis
Soft power is the key system influencer of Pakistan’s foreign policy. The country is achieving its aim and objectives via soft powers and it is depicting its soft image. Unfortunately, the country is not acquiring much, as it should. So, the country needed to formulate policies according to the need of time to gain its objectives.
Conclusion
Soft power is an integral part for the soft image of the country .Pakistan can leverage to enhance its objectives by soft power components, including cultural diplomacy, trade, and scholarship for foreigners, and developmental assistance. Moreover, hard power approaches differ to soft power approaches on account of its coercion , tangible resources ,and short term plans. In brief, it is necessary for the country to maintain its image via soft power components.
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