Opinion of Pakistan

[TDAS04]

Japan: 84.2% Approval
South Korea: 87.1% Approval
China: 21.3% Approval
India: 78.3% Approval

[ElectionsGuy]

One of the bottom 10

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I would be curious to learn what the average Atlas poster knows of Pakistan.

[politicus]

I would be curious to learn what the average Atlas poster knows of Pakistan.

Probably not a lot, but it is not a case where increased knowledge gives most people a more positive general opinion. More nuanced, but not better overall. Perhaps if you reached expert knowledge and started identifying with your subject (as experts often tend to) it might do.

Did you get a more positive image of Pakistan on balance as you learned more about it?

[Intell]

HC, obviously.

[moderatevoter]

I can understand why it's hard to call it a FC, but I personally can't call it a HC.

FC (biased)

[Sol]

I can understand why it's hard to call it a FC, but I personally can't call it a HC.

FC (biased)

^
This.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I would be curious to learn what the average Atlas poster knows of Pakistan.

Pakistan is in Asia and got nukes.

That would probably be all.

[politicus]

I would be curious to learn what the average Atlas poster knows of Pakistan.

Pakistan is in Asia and got nukes.

That would probably be all.

Not after the Afghanistan War, the capture of bin Laden and a Nobel Peace Prize to Malala Yousafzai.

Taliban will figure prominently in most Westerners image of Pakistan + the conflict with India.

[politicus]

Typical Western image of Pakistan:

"Pakistan is a military dictatorship in Asia with a huge population that grows extremely fast. They are Muslims, hate India (something to do with a place called Kashmir..)  and got nukes. Their military hid bin Laden and the Taliban operates from there in some wild mountains in the north where barbarian hill tribes run the show. Pakistan is a sh**thole if you are a woman or not a Muslim. Well educated Pakistanis emigrate to the West and they all want their children to become doctors and engineers"

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Typical Western image of Pakistan:

"Pakistan is a military dictatorship in Asia with a huge population that grows extremely fast. They are Muslims, hate India (something to do with a place called Kashmir..)  and got nukes. Their military hid bin Laden and the Taliban operates from there in some wild mountains in the north where barbarian hill tribes run the show. Pakistan is a sh**thole if you are a woman or not a Muslim. Well educated Pakistanis emigrate to the West and they all want their children to become doctors and engineers"

Every Pakistani I've met (I could count all of them on one hand) fits the stereotype mentioned in the last sentence.  I understand that not all well-educated people from that country move to the US and become doctors or engineers.  But could you care to explain why the rest of it is wrong?

[Velasco]

Apparently, Pakistan is a global power in cricket. I guess that's relevant for Brits and people from other Commonwealth countries. Also, the Himalayas are a destination for crazy mountain climbers. I guess the level of knowledge of Muhammad Ali Jinnah must be low in Western world, although some people must have heard about Benazir Bhutto. I recall some documentaries on natural catastrophes (floods), poverty and the conflict between the army and the Taliban in remote tribal areas located in the NW frontier. From my scarce knowledge, Pakistan strikes me as a failed state ruled by a kleptocratic elite, where the military hold a great power and the bulk of the population lives in poverty or extreme poverty. The ideal breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalism or any type of violent insurgence. Besides, there's that obscure connection between the military and the fundamentalist insurgence which is fighting against. Complicated.

[politicus]

Typical Western image of Pakistan:

"Pakistan is a military dictatorship in Asia with a huge population that grows extremely fast. They are Muslims, hate India (something to do with a place called Kashmir..)  and got nukes. Their military hid bin Laden and the Taliban operates from there in some wild mountains in the north where barbarian hill tribes run the show. Pakistan is a sh**thole if you are a woman or not a Muslim. Well educated Pakistanis emigrate to the West and they all want their children to become doctors and engineers"

Every Pakistani I've met (I could count all of them on one hand) fits the stereotype mentioned in the last sentence.  I understand that not all well-educated people from that country move to the US and become doctors or engineers.  But could you care to explain why the rest of it is wrong?

It is not all wrong (though military dictatorship is), but some of it is crude and simplistic. I was just trying to describe what I think people typically know (and in some cases "know") about Pakistan.

[Türkisblau]

HC. A great example of a case where foreign aid needs to be reduced or cut altogether.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Probably not a lot, but it is not a case where increased knowledge gives most people a more positive general opinion. More nuanced, but not better overall. Perhaps if you reached expert knowledge and started identifying with your subject (as experts often tend to) it might do.

But people should see it as the victim of a hideous tragedy rather than as a dark and evil place with more in common with Saudi Arabia than India.

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Well my starting point was cricket and I always (still do actually) liked they way they play (when not being bribed by bookmakers, of course. So the way they play about half the time) so I didn't start off with a negative opinion...

[Frodo]

A failing state that should never have become a country in the first place.

[Reginald]

The average Atlas poster doesn't know much about any place beyond a skim of the relevant Wiki article. Certainly not enough to have a meaningful opinion. But the urge to vote is too real. The polls in this particular board should always be taken with a grain of salt.

[Zioneer]

Apparently, Pakistan is a global power in cricket. I guess that's relevant for Brits and people from other Commonwealth countries. Also, the Himalayas are a destination for crazy mountain climbers. I guess the level of knowledge of Muhammad Ali Jinnah must be low in Western world, although some people must have heard about Benazir Bhutto. I recall some documentaries on natural catastrophes (floods), poverty and the conflict between the army and the Taliban in remote tribal areas located in the NW frontier. From my scarce knowledge, Pakistan strikes me as a failed state ruled by a kleptocratic elite, where the military hold a great power and the bulk of the population lives in poverty or extreme poverty. The ideal breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalism or any type of violent insurgence. Besides, there's that obscure connection between the military and the fundamentalist insurgence which is fighting against. Complicated.

This is basically my view of Pakistan.