7/30/2019 Task 1 izaz

1/3

Task 1

Question 1: From Which sources you can find more information about it?

Answer:

Pakistan, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a sovereign country in South Asia.

With a population exceeding 190 million people in July 2012, it is the sixth most populous country in

the world (World Factbook, 2012). TO maintain business and other activities in Pakistan, expatriates

need to have precise data and information from reliable sources. Recently, the excessive

broadcasting of Osama Bin Laden s killing and US revenge statements and celebrations, ignited

conflict between Pakistani and Western media resulting lack of reliable source of information about

Pakistan. (Rodriguez, 2012).

In Pakistan, television and radio plays vital sources of information about Pakistan. Pakistan Television

Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) have been the dominant information

provider controlled by the government but authenticity of information cannot be confirmed due

restrictions by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. (PERMA Annual Report, 2009). GEO

TV, AAJ TV, ARY Digital and different FM radio channels are vital source of information about the

overall situation in Pakistan. Newspapers and magazines are published in 11 languages; most in

Urdu and Sindhi, but there are numerous English-language publications. Most print media are

privately owned, but the government controls the Associated Press of Pakistan, one of the major

news agencies. The press is generally free and has played an active source of information about

Pakistan, but journalists are often harassed by unethical Government restrictions and action againstfree speech (Country report: Pakistan, 2010).

Outside Pakistan, regarding international information source, Al Jazeera is one of the most news

source regarding Middle East as well as Pakistan. In recent years its reporting has been extended

from just covering political situation to international and social issues in Pakistan. Other reputed

sources of information regarding Pakistan are BBC, The Guardian, Reuters, Voice of America,

Washington Post etc.

There numerous reliable international reports and journals can portrait a transparent scenario about

Pakistan as a whole to the expatriates. The most notable publications and sources of information

about Pakistan from U.S Department of State are Department of State Pakistan Country Page, U.S.

Embassy: Pakistan, USAID Pakistan Page, History of U.S. Relations With Pakistan, Human Rights

Reports, International Religious Freedom Reports, Investment Climate Statements, Office of the U.S.

Trade Representative Countries Page, U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics, Export.gov

International Offices Page, Library of Congress Country Studies, Travel and Business Information.

(U.S. Relations with Pakistan, 2012). For financial and business data, there are organizations like

World Bank, IMF, ADB which can provide reliable data current data needed in the analysis of

problems of international payments and of inflation and deflation, i.e., data on exchange rates,

7/30/2019 Task 1 izaz

2/3

international liquidity, international banking, money and banking, interest rates, prices, production,

international transactions, government accounts, and national accounts of Pakistan.

Question 2: Five cultural attributes that an expatriate should know for adjustment.

Answer:

Though Pakistan is a developing nation with volatile economy and political issues but due to

globalization, expatriates moving to Pakistan will certainly experience some interesting culture

attributes in order to adjust in both long and short term.

One of the most interesting attribute in Pakistani culture is its huge variety of language.

Approximately, sixty languages are spoken in Pakistan including a number of provincial languages.

Urdu is the national language and is understood by over 75% of Pakistanis (Yasmeen, 2006). English

is the official language of Pakistan, used in official business, government, and legal contracts. (World

Factbook, 2012).

Secondly, Kalashnikov culture has become a national culture in Pakistan as the Constitution of

Pakistan guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. The people of the provinces of Punjab and

Sindh view the bearing and use of arms as a constitutional right whereas the people of Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan view it as part of their culture (Palin, 2005).

Thirdly, Pakistani cooking uses large quantities of spices, herbs and seasoning. Garlic, ginger,turmeric, red chilli and garam masala are used in most dishes, and home cooking regularly includes

curry which can be challenging for expatriates especially from western countries to adjust. (Yasmeen,

2006)

Fourthly, religious discrimination is commonly practiced in Pakistan as social and judicial laws are

insensitive regarding this matter. Forced Islamization includes the blasphemy laws, which make it

dangerous for religious minorities to express themselves freely and engage freely in religious and

cultural activities. (Reddy, 2005)

Finally, in Pakistani culture, people usually don't directly get to the point to be polite; preferring to

talk in a roundabout way, they will ask about health, family and business. Pakistanis may ask

personal questions as a way to get to know others, which may offensive or private matter to

expatriates especially from western and eastern countries (Pakistan Business Culture, 2008).

7/30/2019 Task 1 izaz

3/3

References:

i. Pakistan, World Factbook. CIA , Retrieved November 06, 2012, from

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html

ii. Rodriguez, Alex , May 2, 2011. "Suspicions grow over whether Pakistan aided Osama bin

Laden". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 2, 2011.

iii. PERMA Annual Report 2009 , Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, 22 December

2009

iv. Country report: Pakistan (2010)", Freedom of the Press 2010 , Freedom House, 27 April 2010

v. U.S. Relations With Pakistan. Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S Department of

State. Retrieved August 10, 2012, from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm

vi. Yasmeen Niaz Mohiuddin (2006). Pakistan: a global studies handbook . ABC-CLIO |. pp. 3,

317, 323 324.

vii. Palin, Michael. 2005. Himalaya . Weidenfeld Nicolson Illustrated. Pg-288

viii. Reddy, B. Murlidhar (September 23, 2005). "Hindus in Pakistan allege humiliation". Chennai,

India: The Hindu. Retrieved 2006-08-26.

ix. Pakistan Business Culture. India Pakistan Trade Unit. Retrieved 2008-10-30.