- The PM needs to take briefings and sharpen his attire abroad
In the world of diplomacy, the visit of the prime minister of one country to another holds significance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is especially trained in planning and organizing the visits to the last detail. Each and every part of the visit is decided in advance keeping in view the bilateral and multilateral relations, security situations, international agreements and national interests. Press briefs are also prepared in advance.
The details also include due attention to the attire of the premier and his team keeping in view all cultural sensibilities of both countries. Briefings are given on body language and even strength and duration of handshakes. The objective is to get maximum benefit from the visit and to make sure that no wrong interpretation can be drawn from any gesture of the head of the government.
But ever since PTI government came to power in August 2018 there have been multiple occasions where Prime Minister Imran Khan has demonstrated poor preparation for his visit. In his last visit to Turkey he was seen poorly dressed, wearing open chappal with a sherwani and trousers. PM Imran Khan did not have the headphones on for the translation when President Erdogan was giving a speech in Turkish language, although he does not understand Turkish.
These foreign trips are becoming increasingly embarrassing and the reputation of the country is at stake
He is always unsure of his gait during the guards of honour on receptions and keeps looking right, left or at his feet. A photo of his trip to Turkey went viral on social media where the members of his team were sitting with their legs stretched and looking at their mobile phones. In China while visiting President Xi Jinping, the PM appeared wearing a white shalwar suit with an ill-fitted black coat.
Similarly on the first visit to Saudi Arabia he got out of the plane without his shoes, which was said to be for religious reasons and to show reverence. It is another thing that after showing the barefoot reverence, the Pakistani delegation asked for a loan from the Saudi Royalty…
Beside the surprisingly poor wardrobe that he has, the other astonishing thing is that he is always trying to talk extempore on all occasions and so many times now, the speech turns out to be inappropriate for that particular occasion. In his numerous visits outside Pakistan, in China, in Turkey and in UAE, the Prime Minister repeatedly said that there was mega-corruption in Pakistan and that the governments and political leaders were all corrupt to the core and they did money laundering during their tenures.
The reason of repeating this mantra abroad defies logic because the audience obviously is not the PTI potential voters and need not be convinced of the corruption of the previous governments or other political parties. What it achieves however is an embarrassment for Pakistan as a country at international forums, and reduces its chances of getting foreign investors.
Especially when the Prime Minister goes to Turkey and China and declares that there has been mega-corruption and kickbacks in the previous governments, it becomes highly embarrassing for both the host countries also as they have invested heavily in Pakistan during the last ten years. However this somehow escapes the notice of the current Prime Minister.
The statements of a prime minister are important at all times as he represents the government and the people of his country, but they gain special importance when the attention of the international press and media is focused on him.
The present visit of the Prime Minister to Iran held a very special significance for several reasons, including the fact that only a day before the visit the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan issued a letter to Iran stating that the terrorists responsible for the killing of military personnel in Ormara, reportedly came from Iran. This created rather an awkward situation as there was no official statement given by the government spokesperson or ISPR on the incident.
However, the Prime Minister made the planned visit and landed in Iran where he was not received by his counterpart. Why it was decided that would land in Mashhad and not Tehran directly, is another question.
After the meeting with President Rouhani, the Prime Minister stressed the need for bilateral cooperation for combating terrorism and admitted that in the past Iran has suffered terrorism from groups operating inside Pakistan and vice versa. Only Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi can comment on what was the need of this statement and what will be its connotations with regards to Pakistan’s position for FATF ranking.
Then in the joint press conference with President Hassan Rouhani, in an effort to stress the importance of bilateral trade, the Prime Minister stretched his memory muscles and came up with the example of Germany and Japan who he said had killed, “ millions of civilians” during the Second World War and then after the war, both countries decided to cooperate in trade and commerce and set up joint Industries in their ‘border region’. It left the hall silent to say the least, but why was there was no one in his team to point out the faux pas or caution him in time to withdraw his statement is the question. Some damage control could have been done there and then.
It is needless to point out the obvious about Germany and Japan but other than being totally off the mark geographically the Prime Minister’s statement was way off factually also.
Shireen Mazari has said on the floor of the national assembly that the PM meant France and not Japan and sadly it still does not make it any better as France never killed “millions of civilians” in any war.
There are only two explanations for these continued faux pas by the Prime Minister. Either the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has become extremely sloppy in its work and not doing proper preparations, briefings and background work before a foreign visit or the Prime Minister is not cooperating with it to stick to the agenda and prepare the notes, speeches and talks as advised by the ministry.
Either way these foreign trips are becoming increasingly embarrassing and the reputation of the country is at stake. There seems to be a complacency in the government regarding the slips of the PM and nobody is willing to mention that he needs to improve his preparations for the visits and sharpen his attire.
The Cabinet Ministers are behaving exactly like the courtiers in the famous story, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ and do not want to say the obvious. But then we all know how that story ends.