Populist interviews
July 3, 2021
Pakistan’s officials recently gave a few interviews to the foreign media which have led to questions in the international arena.
Some of the stances taken have been bold, like denying any prospects of giving military bases to the United States again. But some of the interviews have sparked debates. Sometimes, officials look like they are speaking in their personal capacity and not representing the state itself.
Such interviews are a part of public diplomacy that can be used as a tool of soft power to present a soft image of the country to other nations. On the contrary, it seems our officials are using those platforms to address the domestic audience and use populist rhetoric that can help them appease a larger population at home. Populism serves the purpose for a while but decays the political system in the long run.