LAHORE, March 25: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said that Pakistan’s continuing challenge is how to promote its positive and soft image. He was speaking at the one-day conference on ‘Global corporate response to South Asian earthquake’ attended by local and foreign businessmen, industrialists, multinational companies’ executives, donors, representatives of financial institutions and foreign envoys at the Royal Palm Golf Club auditorium here on Saturday.

Mr Kasuri said the Foreign Office had been trying to build a positive image of Pakistan which could be measured from the number of visits of foreign dignitaries soon after the quake.

He said diplomacy had taken a new shape and trends changed with more emphasis on cultural and economic diplomacy. The government was considering opening cultural centres abroad and making economic and commercial wings in the missions more effective. Its decision to promote regional peace had helped in improving Pakistan’s image as a moderate and progressive country and enhanced its respect in the comity of nations.

He said the concept of ‘enlightened moderation’ had also been approved by OIC at its Makkah Summit and since then Foreign Office was projecting it not only to promote Pakistan as a moderate, progressive and enlightened state but also to counter the misgivings about Islam.

Pakistan had pursued economic cooperation with the outside world to seek funds and investment for development. The World Bank had ranked Pakistan as the 10th most attractive country for investment in the world. In a recent issue, Newsweek had described Pakistan as one of the world’s most surprising economic success stories. It had pointed out that Pakistan’s GDP growth rate doubled from 3.4 per cent last year to almost 7 per cent this year and that a true middle class was now developing in Pakistan. Its budget deficit had been halved from eight to four per cent and tax revenues increased by two per cent in the past two years, he added.

Mr Kasuri said during the recent visit of US President Bush one of the significant developments was the support for Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in the remote areas of Pakistan which envisaged that goods manufactured in these zones would have free entry into the US market. He urged the private sector and businessmen to benefit from the opportunity.

The minister said the quake was of magnitude that no government could have been prepared for it. Evaluating the gravity of the disaster was a daunting task as the affected areas were inaccessible and all existing infrastructure had been completely destroyed. The government moved swiftly and was supported with equally swift and sensitive response of the international community. The Foreign Office mobilised its missions abroad for mustering support for the quake victims.

Interactive media campaigns were launched by engaging local print and electronic media to highlight the devastation, damage and destruction caused by the quake. The international donors conference held at Islamabad in November was a success as Pakistan had received more pledges than it had targeted. At present the challenging task was facilitating the disbursement of the amount pledged during the conference. All missions abroad were actively involved in approaching the authorities as well as multinationals, NGOs and international organisations for expediting the pledged amount. As a result of the efforts of the missions, many international companies and business houses had contributed to the reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the affected areas.

The opening session was also addressed by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar, US consul general Brian Heath, The Prince of Wales Trust International Leaders Forum’s representative Ms Linda Cruise, World Economic Forum’s Disaster Resource Network’s representative Ikram Sehgal, Swiss ambassador Denis Feldmeyer, Tetrapak’s Food for Development office global director Ms Ulla Holm.

A formal statement signed by multinationals concerned was also issued highlighting their commitment to Pakistan’s growth and development.