DURING a recent holiday trip to the city of Osaka in Japan, I was pleasantly surprisedto discoverthatExpo2025 was taking place nearby. Having heard about Pakistan`s impressive presence at an earlier similar exhibition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), I eagerly visited the pavilion. Having done that, I was deeply disappointed.

The Pakistani stall was minimal, tucked into a corner with just a few clay pots and rock salt pieces on display. As such, there was no Pakistani representative there. The sole person at the pavilion, if it could be called one, was a Japanese hostess.In stark contrast,neighbouring countries, like Bangladesh, had far more vibrant and spacious exhibits.

Later that evening, I met members of the official Pakistani delegation in Japan, and some of them explained that Pakistan had initially opted not to participate, but eventually joined at the last minute apparently due to a request from the event organisers. The participation was then limited to the lowest category stall available. Even then, is pink salt really all we have to show to the world? As a citizen, I question the lack of vision and planning. Why were public funds spent on officials` travel, boarding and lodging for such an uninspired setup? The country`s rich culture and innovation deserved abetterrepresentation; a much better representation, indeed.

Imran Muhammad Khan Islamabad