Dubai A recent survey showed that an average of 56 per cent of the global population feel mainly negatively about Pakistan's influence in the world.
The 2011 BBC World Service Country Rating Poll, which surveys global perceptions about "16 major countries, plus the European Union", has confirmed for many Pakistanis that they are getting the short end of the stick around the world.
According to the latest polls, the positive perceptions of 13 of the 16 countries increased from last year, while Pakistan was among only three about which negative perceptions showed a marked upswing.
Overall, negative perceptions about Pakistan registered an average increase of five percentage points, making it the second most negatively viewed, just behind Iran.
Only an average of 17 per cent of the global population surveyed had mainly positive views about Pakistan. Of the countries surveyed, only Turkey had an overall positive image of Pakistan with 56 per cent positive and only 28 per cent negative.
The truth
As a Pakistani, I dump any such survey done outside the country as the work of spin doctors in media and marketing, and people living abroad, including expatriates, hardly know about the ground realities. You need to visit the country to find the truth.
And the truth is Pakistan is emerging as a moderate liberal country with the exception of a segment of hardcore extremists who have been fighting to influence society but will never succeed. Extremist groups have only ever won a few seats in elections because most Pakistani do not want them in power.
Pakistan's chief problem is bad press. Foreign television channels, newspapers and new agencies notwithstanding, even its own television channels and newspapers are in a race to flash negative news to the world.
Most of the 180 million people in Pakistan want peace but the less then one per cent with an extremist mindset are spoiling the image of the country. One bomb blast ruins dozens of other good news stories.
Yes, there are incidents of kidnapping for ransom, murders for money, corruption, mugging and so on but this is synonymous with any third world country. We should not forget that Pakistan is an emerging market for fashion designers with models presenting a soft image of the country.
Talented women
The country has talented women like Afra Karim, the youngest Microsoft certified engineer, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy who won the first Oscar for Pakistan, and Zoha Abdullah Malek, who topped O-Level examinations in biology the world over.
And don't forget the late Benazir Bhutto who was the first female prime minister and chairperson of the largest political party in the country.
The country is buzzing with bands, concerts and fashion shows while dozens of theatres come alive every night. Restaurants are full to capacity and traffic jams in big cities like Karachi and Lahore are evidence of prosperity and success.
The people of Pakistan don't want to live in isolation any more.
All we need to do to is portray a positive image. The mantra of Pakistani, either in the country or living abroad, should be to change their mindset and start loving their country.
If this happens, international poll ratings will be reversed.
