Abstract :
Scammell (1995) has argued that by reducing the barriers between government’s leads to
reaching consent. She has also noted the perturbing reality of participation of consultants
“into the inner sanctum of government” (p. 14). She counter argues that if marketing
concepts are applied to politics, it will become more democratic. Political marketing can
result in making political parties and candidates more knowledgeable of the needs of the
public through improvement in information flow from public to politicians and vice versa.
Thus, Scammell (1995) concludes that “‘political marketing’ provides a rational way for
parties or candidates to behave in conditions of competitive mass democracy”. O’
Shaughnessy, (2001) has argued that due to permanent campaign, political marketing plays
the pivotal role in policy making. This means that political marketing is not merely the run
up campaign rather it is of strategic importance (Smith & Hirst, 2001; Lees-Marshment,
2001).
We can also analyze the Kartarpur Corridor event. Indian Punjab is attached with
Pakistani Punjab. Both are resilient in culture, language and to some extent customs. At the
time of partition of subcontinent some important shrines of Sikh community like Nankana
Sahib, Sacha Soda, Hassan Abdal and Kartarpur Sahib became the part of Pakistani Punjab.
The nearest most shrine from Indian Punjab border is Kartarpur Sahib where the Gurunanak
Sahib spent his life’s last eighteen years had been attached with Pakistan in 1947. It is only
three km away in Pakistan from Indian international border. Sikh community used to see
this place from Indian border via telescope. Every year few Sikhs who come to visit their
shrines come to Pakistan via visa nut the Kartarpur Corridor is a landmark for all the Sikh
community. Whole Sikh community can visit their holy shrine of Kartarpur without visa.
The initial recommendation by Pakistani side allowed us to see this whole event in the
perspective of political marketing. We can also affiliate this event with the international
political marketing. Because this step by Pakistan is not only appreciated by the Sikh
community but also marketed Pakistan as the peaceful country which as Muslim state also
takes care of other religions. This message can also be attributed as Pakistan is not
dangerous for doing commercial activities and Pakistani government and other state institutions are also vigilant for all communities
Keyword :
Kartar Pur Corridor, Sikh Political Marketing, Pakistan, Gurunanak Sahib