IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND AGENCIES/DEPARTMENTS IN PAKISTAN

Public Relation is important not only to the business but also to the government. The PR practitioners in government service discharge a very important task by keeping the leadership informed about the aspirations, sentiments and reactions of the people and thus help them in taking sound and popular decisions, which are a must for keeping harmonious relations between the people and the government, which is indispensable for the stability of any society. Unless the government makes the public fully aware of its viewpoint and frames its policies in keeping with the popular sentiments through a system of two-way communication, mistrust and suspicion will continue to sweep the country ultimately leading to widespread unrest, confusion and chaos.

AGENCIES/DEPARTMENTS IN PAKISTAN

Every successive government in Pakistan recognized the importance/need for moudling the public opinion through public relations/publicity. Consequently the operations/functions of PR/Information departments were gradually expanded to many new areas. A brief account of the PR/publicity network that now exists in Pakistan, alongwith its activities are as follows:-

v    Official PR/Publicity

o        Internal PR/Publicity

o        External PR/Publicity

v    Non-official PR/Publicity

Internal PR/Publicity:-                   Following departments are performing on behalf of the government:-

*                 Press Information Department (PID)

*                 Directorate of Films and Publications (DFP)

*                 Pakistan National Centre (PNC)

*                 Directorate of Research and Reference

*                 Radio Pakistan

*                 Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV)

*                 National Press Trust (NPT)

*                 Miscellaneous Departments

External PR/Publicity:-         The basic aim of external PR/publicity is to project abroad a positive image of the country, its people and culture as well as to create an increased awareness about Pakistan’s policy goals, its endeavors for socio-economic development and for promoting peace within and outside. Though it is not the main objective, but efforts are also made for attracting foreign investments in Pakistan, boost-up tourism and sale of Pakistan products.

It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan’s missions abroad to maintain, at official level, an overall good image of the country. But it is imperative that cordial friendly relations that exist between Pakistan and other governments be diversified to their mutual benefits so that a reflection of good relations is found in all walks of life. This vital job is handled by the External Publicity Wing (E.P.Wing) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting through its over 20 Information Sections abroad. The Information Sections, which are attached to Pakistan’s missions in major countries, cultivate good relations with leaders of public opinion, intellectuals and the working journalists and facilitate, as and when required their visits to Pakistan. The E.P Wing is also responsible for removing mistrust and suspicions about Pakistan by providing factual information in addition to counteracting negative propaganda. It also prepares a feedback on the general views of the people and foreign media on various issues of interest to Pakistan

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