Pakistani journalist and political commentator Najam Sethi made a controversial remark suggesting that Pakistan should send women to American pubs as a diplomatic strategy to counter India’s growing influence in the United States.

During a recent appearance on Samaa TV, a clip of which has now gone viral on social media, Sethi said Pakistan lacks the diplomatic skill and cultural understanding to match India’s outreach in the West, especially in the United States, and proposed an unconventional and widely criticized approach.

“You need to know the lingo, the culture, how to reach across,” Sethi said. “Sometimes you need to sit in a pub and talk about these things… You also need to mix a little bit of humour and sarcasm. You know, this is diplomacy, person-to-person. Charm is very important.”

What set social media against, however, was Sethi’s next remark: “To counter Indian influence in the US, Pakistan should send some women who can go to pubs and influence the US think tanks with their charm.”

He further criticized Pakistan’s bureaucrats, calling them “timid” and “inarticulate,” suggesting that academics and think-tank experts, rather than diplomats, should be mobilized to represent Pakistan’s interests abroad.

The comment has drawn sharp criticism online, with users from both Pakistan and India calling Sethi out for sexism and trivializing women’s roles in diplomacy.

Critics have slammed Sethi for promoting a regressive and sexist mindset under the guise of unconventional diplomacy. Many also pointed out that instead of empowering women or elevating Pakistan’s global standing, such remarks only demean both.

Sethi has yet to issue a public clarification or apology for his remarks.

 

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