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Discourse Analysis of PM Imran Khan’s Speeches during Foreign Visits for Economic Recovery of Pakistan

Discourse analysis is associated with the comprehension process of discursive construction and its social outcomes. The aim of this research is to investigate the discursive practices in the form of linguistic devices employed by PM Imran Khan to construct the discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan. A qualitative content analysis of data (collected from a sample of three speeches during his official visits to Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey) was conducted to address the underlying research questions. Frequency of recurring words was also measured to find the variation in their use. The findings unveil that a discourse of hope regarding economic recovery of Pakistan, was constructed by the Prime Minister successfully manipulating a variety of discursive practices including the use of specific terminology, repetition, constructive self-impression, figurative expressions, active voice, cohesiveness and allusions for attracting the foreign investors and giving a ray of hope to the Pakistanis back home.


Introduction
Discourse and discourse analysis are commonly used linguistic terms with fuzzy boundaries. Titscher et al., (2000) in Bayram (2010: 42) considers discourse as an umbrella term having various dimensions of meanings that "integrates a whole palette of meanings" encompassing linguistics through sociology and philosophy. As a linguistic term, discourse refers to formal talk, a piece of writing or discussion. A discourse can be spoken or written in form. Cook (1992: 45) explains discourse as language use in communication. He further elaborates that discourse analysis is the process of inquiry which investigates how bits of language in their complete textual, social and psychological contexts turn out as meaningful and cohesive for their users. Brown and Yule (1983: 29) are of the view that discourse analysis is a multifaceted phenomenon including a wide variety of activities. It is used to explain varied activities at the point where different disciplines like sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, philosophical linguistics and computational linguistics intersect. Political discourse is also a multidimensional term covering different types of political talks occurred at various political forums. Schaffer (1996: 201) finds political discourse a sub-class of discourse based on two CONTACT Muhammad Tahsin at prof.tahsin@hotmail.com levels, namely functional and thematic. Political discourse studies the text and talk of various politicians or different political institutions at local, national or international level.

Background
Political discourse aims at the manifestation of ideologies, power struggle and hegemony. Political activity is considered as an attempt to attain power and language is exploited to achieve and practice power (Fairclough, 2000: 145). A strong bond exists between power and language. Martin (2014: 211) asserts that politics cannot be envisaged without inducement. It is a process which demands framing of choices, analyses of options and making of decisions. The researches carried out in the area of Political Discourse Analysis (PDA) suggest and favour these remarks. Bhatia (2006: 176) opines that the multidimensional nature of political discourse has always attracted the attention of discourse analysts. Discourse analysts attempt to analyze and interpret the messages conveyed by the political figures in diverse linguistic forms. The research studies conducted in the area of political discourse analysis reveal that the speeches of political leaders like Nelson Mandela, Barak Obama, Tayyip Erdogan, Donald Trump, Manmohan Singh, Nawaz Sharif, etc. have been considered for investigation (Schiler, 2010;Rodriguez, 2008;Martinez, 2012;Bayram, 2010;Aqeel, 2015;Mohammadi, 2017;Gill & Azhar, 2018). These studies explored that political leaders across the world relied upon discursive practices in the form of linguistic devices to convey ideological concepts and as a result they developed a discourse that suited their agenda. The choice of devices they opted for was dependent largely on the context as well as social and political aspects.

Purpose
Considering the role of language in the political discourse analysis, discussed in the background of the study, the present study intends to explore the linguistic devices employed by PM Imran Khan in his speeches during his three foreign visits to develop the discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan. The paper further attempts to uncover the purpose of use of those discursive practices taking into consideration the ideological identity and cultural values of foreign audience. Parker (1994) asserts that discourses can be defined as 'sets of statements that construct objects and an array of subject positions' (p.245). Austin (1962: 89) opines that speech is a form of action and words are exploited to perform certain actions. In this way, discourse is a social practice which is performed so often in everyday life at different social levels by different social groups for different social outcomes. Chilton (2004: 3) argues that there is a sound link between language and political activity. Development of comprehension skills regarding the political discourses at international level is crucial in interpreting diplomatic conflicts at international level. The present study provides an opportunity to the research scholars working in the area of political discourse analysis to analyze the discursive practices employed by the Prime Minister Imran Khan in creating the discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan at foreign forums. This study investigates the most recent data since two speeches have been delivered in October and November, 2018 and one in January, 2019. As these official foreign visits were the initial ones by the Prime Minister after winning General Elections in July, 2018 so they were of great significance. The discourse created by PM was also important in seeking the assistance of those countries in overcoming the economic problems of the country and determining the future diplomatic relations with those countries.

Objectives
This research paper aims to achieve the following objectives and to address the research questions.  To identify and discuss the discursive practices used in the sample of speeches delivered by Imran Khan during his foreign visits to construct the discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan.  To explore the maneuvering of discursive practices in building a political discourse at international forums.

Research Questions
 What discursive practices have been used by Imran Khan in his three selected speeches during his foreign visits to construct the discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan?  How have those discursive practices been employed by the Prime Minister to develop the intended discourse?

Theoretical Underpinning
The roots of critical discourse analysis can be found in critical linguistics and theories. Rahimi and Riasati (2011: 4) state that this discipline has attracted a large number of scholars since 1980s owing to the works of Norman Fairclough. Fairclough (1995: 21) opines that Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is a discourse analysis that targets a systematic exploration of fuzzy associations of causality and determination between discursive practices, events and texts on one hand and broad social structures, associations and procedures on the other. Further explaining the functions of CDA, he asserts that it examines how discursive practices, events and texts are shaped ideologically through the links of power and struggle for power and hegemony. According to Wodak & Meyer (2009: 20) seven dimensions of discourse studies share the following common features with semiotics, pragmatics, psycho-linguistics, ethnography of speaking and conversation analysis: i. properties of 'naturally occurring' language ii. larger units than isolated words and sentences iii. study of action and interaction iv. non-verbal aspects of interaction v. socio-cognitive strategies vi. contexts of language use vii. text grammar and language use Wodak and Meyer (2001: 25) assert that Dispositive Analysis proposed by Jager & Maier is the closest approach to the idea of Discourse under framework of critical theory. This content-oriented approach can be divided in (1) Structure Analysis and (2) Fine Analysis. While structure analysis deals with the description of general themes and the media, fine analysis encompasses context, text surface and rhetorical devices. Dispositive Analysis provides an analysis of type of argumentation, strategies of argumentation, intrinsic logic and arrangement of text, implied implications, figurative devices, vocabulary and style, actors (person, pronominal structure), references and details of sources of knowledge.
The current research study was concerned with discourse analysis of the sample of speeches delivered by PM Imran Khan during his foreign visits for the economic recovery of Pakistan. However, it also relied upon some aspects of critical discourse analysis (CDA) tracing the ideological links of the discursive practices used by the speaker. Rashidi and Souzandehfar (2010: 58) argue that discourse analysis emphasizes upon the link between language forms and a restricted sense of context and develops a limited comprehension of social and cultural forces that leave an impact on our lives. On the contrary, critical discourse analysis (CDA) extends its circle further and encompasses the ideological aspects of discourse.
In addressing the research questions, I relied upon the philosophies offered by Fairclough (1995Fairclough ( , 1989 and Dijk (2004Dijk ( , 1995. Fairclough states that language is associated to social realities and they cause social change. Further elaborating his argument, he talks of the employment of language in crucial ways by the government with a special concern for the discourse and power bondage in society. Fairclough (1999: 97-98) has recommended the following method of discourse analysis, including: "(a) linguistic description of the text, (b) interpretation of the relationship between the discursive processes and text and (c) explanation of relationship between the discursive processes and the social processes". Dijk (1995: 9) remarks that texts are founded on the ideological stance of the person, organization, etc. Dijk (2004: 11) affirms that ideologies are reflected and created in discourse. I tried to cultivate my own perspective for interpreting data of speeches but the theoretical framework suggested by Fairclough (1995Fairclough ( , 1989 and Dijk (2004) assisted me to assemble meanings and comprehend the text of the speeches delivered by PM Imran Khan by exploring the use of discursive practices in order to access linguistic description, explaining the link between the discursive practices and the text and identifying the association between the discursive practices and the social processes.

Sample
The nature of the sample was purposive. As those three (3) speeches delivered by Prime Minister Imran Khan were considered as a sample for research which were delivered during his official foreign visits with the agenda of economic recovery for Pakistan. Speech-1 was delivered on 23-10-2018 at the forum of Future Investment Initiative Conference at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The duration of speech-1 was 19:27 minutes, and its source was YouTube. Speech-2 was addressed to the Chinese business community on 05-11-2018 at Shanghai in China. The duration of speech-2 was 17:49 minutes, and the source was YouTube. Speech-3 was delivered, addressing the Turkish gathering on 03-01-2019 in Turkey. The duration of speech-3 was 08:11 minutes, and the source was YouTube. The reason for selection of speech-1 and speech-2 was that the ties of Pakistan with Saudi Arabia and China are always considered very significant keeping in view the foreign policy of the country. Secondly, in the past, both the countries extended economic cooperation to Pakistan in the hour of need. So, both the speeches were of great importance keeping in view the discourse of economic recovery of Pakistan. Speech-3 was the most recent one and as the diplomatic relations of Pakistan with Turkey have always remained of great value so an effort was made to encompass all the aspects to make the sample representative to the maximum degree of possibility.

Ethical Considerations
The selected speeches were available in the form of video recordings on YouTube. The content of the speeches was not having any sensitive or controversial material subject to secrecy. Still the transcriptions of the speeches were made with great care as to avoid any discrepancy in the content. It was also ensured that the data retrieved from the social media site should be used only for the purpose of this research in an unbiased way.

Data Analysis
Qualitative content analysis of the data in the form of three speeches of PM Imran Khan was carried out to deal with the research questions. In this process, the following three-dimensional functions of qualitative research paradigm elucidated by Ritchie (2013: 26-27)

were observed: (a) Contextual / exploratory (b) Explanatory and (c) Evaluative
The transcripts of all the speeches were examined for the analysis of various discursive practices employed by the speaker to construct his discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan. Frequency of recurring words was also measured in the sample of speeches. Following the above-mentioned outline, the three speeches of PM Imran Khan were explored as a purposive sample for the research study and themes were identified relevant to research questions. Minichiello et al. (1990) as cited in Zhang and Wildermuth (2009: 3) the example of a theme can be reflected in a single word, a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, or the entire text. While relying upon a theme as a unit of coding, the expressions of an idea are traced.
Thus, the words, phrases and sentences were marked which were projecting the use of different discursive practices i.e. use of specific terminology, use of repetition device, constructive selfimpression, ethnicity and figurative language, use of active voice, connectivity and cohesiveness and use of allusions. At the next step, the possible reasons for utilizing those discursive practices and integrating them with a political discourse were examined and explained. At the third and last step, efficacy of those discursive practices in constructing the desired discourse was considered through the response of the audience.

Textual Analysis
The analysis of the text plays a pivotal role in the whole process of discourse analysis. The textual analysis of the selected speeches highlighted various linguistic devices used by the speaker. Fairclough (1989: 24) considers the description which identifies linguistic features as a primary stage in the process of discourse analysis. It further generates objects of knowledge, social identities and relationship between people. Wodak and Meyer (2001: 28) suggests that lexical meanings are the projection of speaker's choice. Following the Fairclough's approach to examine the choice of vocabulary made by PM Imran Khan during his speeches addressing the foreign forums, I attempted to express rational meanings. In the following section the most frequently used linguistic devices have been provided:

The Use of Specific Terminology
As the agenda of all the foreign visits made by PM Imran Khan was the same and that was to make those governments realize the initiatives taken by his newly formed government for the economic recovery of Pakistan so the choice of vocabulary comprised of specific terminology related to economy. The use of words "business", "ease of business", "Invertors", "economic zones", "foreign reserves", "fiscal deficit", "current account deficit", IMF, "loans", CPEC, PRT, Belt and Road Initiative and "trade" highlighted that Imran Khan's use of specific terminology was in accordance with his agenda of constructing the discourse of economic recovery of Pakistan.
In this context, he talked of promoting "business" industry by ensuring the "ease of business" for the business community. He invited foreign "investors" by promising "economic zones" as the priority of the present government. He truthfully confessed the shortage of "foreign reserves", "fiscal deficit" and "current account deficit" presently. The Prime Minister also acknowledged the need of making a contact with IMF for requesting "loans" to overcome the present economic situation. He further mentioned proudly the joint ventures like CPEC, PRT, Belt and Road Initiative with China in order to give a ray of hope for economic recovery of Pakistan and promotion of trade in future.

The Use of Repetition Device
The speeches at foreign forums are very calculated and often have set objectives and those objectives are achieved by using relevant discursive devices to construct the desired discourse. The use of repetition is one of the commonly used devices. Peter (2004: 11) asserts that the repetition of words or phrases attracts the attention. The linguistic analysis of all the three speeches delivered by Imran Khan, provides reasonable evidence of the use of repetition. This repetition was at two levels. The repetition of arguments could be traced among all the three speeches. For instance, he admitted the economic problems, expressed firm resolve to take measures, invited the foreign investors, enlisted the reasons for business potential in Pakistan, introduced future development plans, promised them "ease of business" and ensured a hope for economic recovery in the days to come, on all occasions. Besides, the repetition of words "Pakistan", "China", "Turkey", "business", "tourism", "overseas", "housing project", CPEC, "governance" and "steps against corruption" were helpful in determining the priorities of the Prime Minister. The second level was of repetition of words and phrases with in each speech. In speech-3, in Turkey, Imran Khan repeated the word "trade" 7 times, to put emphasis on importance of trade ties with Turkey in the overall economic development of the country.

Constructive Self-Impression
Being the Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Imran Khan projected the positive and constructive self-impression embarking upon ideological representation by using the expressions like, "Naya Pakistan", "We need to get ...", "We would have…", "We have been taking…", "We are hoping…", "We have embarked on…", "We are trying…", "We have all this opportunity…", "We will invite investments…" and "We have really clamped down on terrorism." Thus, the use of "we" instead of "I" frequently was intentional to reflect that he was voicing his nation being the head of the state in terms of pleading the case of economic recovery for his country.

Ethnicity and Figurative Expressions
Expressions which are closely linked with ethnic identity play a vital role in attracting the emotional and sympathetic appeal of the target audience. Dijk (2004: 12) asserts that discourse plays a crucial role "in the production and reproduction of prejudice and racism". Inclusion of ethnic markers assists in developing emotional arousal of the audience to win their sympathies. For example, in speech-2, addressing the Chinese community in Shanghai, Imran Khan not only acknowledged the services of President Xi and his team of ministers but also appreciated Chinese historical struggle in reaching their present position. He also approved China's successful efforts in poverty alleviation and especially in curbing corruption by investigating "400 ministerial level people" on the basis of corruption charges. In this connection, he also paid a tribute to Mr. Wang in handling the menace of corruption. For constructing his discourse in a more effective way, he also mentioned his visit to the Central Party School and more specifically shared one of the principles written there, "learn from your mistakes".
The use of ethnic expression was relevant because PM Imran Khan tried to make the Chinese forum realize that the greatest hurdle in the path of economic progress is corruption and China has faced and coped with it in an exemplary manner. He also expressed the readiness of the government of Pakistan to learn from the experiences of China for the economic revival of the country. Similarly, PM Imran Khan employed the tool of ethnicity effectively, addressing the Turkish forum in speech-3. He not only acknowledged their historical civilization but also at the end of his speech made a comprehensive reference to the historical struggle of their Turkish ancestors. He reminded them of the past emotional and moral attachment between the two nations in the following words: "…people were collecting money to support Turkish Movement of Independence in Turkey under Commander Atta Turk". This strategy proved very successful and received a very passionate response of praise by the audience. Here, the aim of the Prime Minister was to convince the business community for the revival of the trade ties and invite Turk investors to Pakistan reminding them the trust worthy and reliable relations, having historical value between the two countries in the past.
The use of figurative expressions also enhances the impact of emotive appeal of an address and helps the speaker in generating discourse emphatically. Imran Khan also employed this strategy quite effectively. In speech-2, addressing Chinese, he used word "irony" to explain an ironic situation in the historical perspective in this line: "I remember the time when China was a closed society and when US was urging the world open up their economies, remove the trade barriers. And I saw great irony that now it was China led by President Xi asking for free trade, remove protectionism." The intention of employing the figurative speech of irony in this context was to make the Chinese forum realize that the struggling period can occur in the way to economic progress in case of every nation but it can be tackled with the right policies and dynamic leadership.
In the same speech, there was also an example of analogy. To differentiate the approach of trade "Protectionism" from its reversal, Imran Khan took help of an analogy of sportsmen having two different "mindsets". Thus, he assimilated the approach of protectionism with the approach of a sportsman who does not take bold decisions for the fear of failure and as a result can only gain "mediocrity". On the contrary, he elaborated the opposite of it by quoting the example of that sportsman who is prepared to take chances and risks and as a result become champion. Concluding his analogy, he placed Chinese President Xi in this second category for his daring and challenging policies. This analogy was also suggestive in the sense that the new government in Pakistan under the leadership of PM Imran Khan is ready to take daring steps to bring the country out of the present economic crisis.

The Use of Active Voice
Grammatical aspects also play an important role in the construction of a discourse. An analysis on these grounds can provide an insight into the firm stance on important issues related to economy of the country. The mode of active voice helps to convey the message in a lucid and clear way without creating any ambiguity in the mind of the audience. A few examples of active voice present in speeches include "We have inherited…", "We have made…", "They understood the development…", "We learn from China…", "It is a great initiative…" and "You can ask questions".
In the present case, the use of active voice was to suggest the clear stance and firm determination on the part of PM Imran Khan and his team of government officials that they are ready to take the economic crisis of the country as a challenge and are going to take all those measures which are required for its recovery.

Connectivity and Cohesiveness
Cohesive devices are used to connect previous part of a sentence with its subsequent one. Cohesive devises play a very vital role in the construction of discourses. In the case of present analysis, it was found that Imran Khan employed these devices very effectively to make his discourse easily comprehensible as well as effective. He used conjunctions and transitional devices very effectively to link his thoughts in a comprehensive way to develop the unity of thought. In case of providing points, he mentioned them by ordering them like "first of all, secondly and thirdly".
The use of anaphoric and cataphoric references also added compactness to his speeches. For instance, in speech-2, in China, he used the anaphoric reference saying "… package of poverty alleviation of Pakistan, the first one, the first package of its type in history." He used this anaphoric reference in order to introduce the upcoming poverty alleviation programme for the people of Pakistan living below the line of poverty. In the same speech, he used cataphoric reference in this manner: "…if the cancer which creeps into every society is removed and that is corruption …" The Prime Minister used this cataphoric reference to declare corruption as the root cause of the dissatisfactory present economic condition of the country.

The Use of Allusions
The use of relevant allusions makes the discourses more acceptable and comprehensive for the audience. Apart from the other devices used by the PM Imran Khan for constructing a powerful discourse, he also employed the technique of allusions in his speeches. In speech-1, in Saudi Arabia, he gave international references of Scandinavian Countries like Switzerland and New Zealand for following principles of good governance. Again, in the same speech he provided an example of Switzerland comparing it with Congo and very categorically declared, "So Switzerland is one of the most prosperous countries in the world because it has a very good governance". The purpose of the use of this allusion was to put stress on the need of good governance for the economic development of the country. Similarly, later on, in the speech he provided a reference of the "peace talks between Taliban and Americans" and very optimistically hoped for the peaceful settlement of Afghanistan. This allusion was to convey a message of hope in terms of future peace of the country which is one of the prerequisites for the growth of economy and in Pakistan's case which is linked with the peace in Afghanistan. During his speech, he quoted repeatedly China and especially the joint projects with China ensuring the struggle for future developmental projects.
In speech-2, in China, he cited the historical reference, to illustrate and appreciate China's consistent struggle and policies which led the country to economic development. Expressing his confidence and trust in the overseas Pakistanis for their contribution in the process of economic recovery of Pakistan, he gave a reference of their contribution in his fund raising for Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. In speech-3, in Turkey, he cited China and especially the joint ventures with China to give confidence to the Turkish investors regarding their investment plans. In the same speech, he also he gave a historical reference of Turkish Freedom Movement under the leadership of Atta Turk suggesting that Pakistan is also determined to face the present economic challenges under his leadership.
Among different International and historical allusions, Imran Khan also relied upon a scientific reference during his speech-2 in China, developing the discourse of "change" through "self-analysis" and "evaluation", he quoted the famous theory of Darwin in the following words: "It is not the fittest who survives, it is the most adaptable who survives". Here, the use of this scientific allusion was very apt as he wanted to convey that the Pakistanis as a nation are ready to adapt themselves according to the changing and challenging circumstances keeping in view the past negligence in terms of economic policies and to make efforts to gain recovery.
The analysis of speech-1, in Saudi Arabia, revealed this fact that the sole Islamic reference which Imran Khan cited was ideological in nature and it was very pertinently cited addressing the Future Investment Initiative Conference at Riyadh. He quoted his oft quoted vision of "Naya Pakistan" following the Model of Welfare State of Medina. Although he kept on producing this reference in his speeches during his election campaign and he even repeated it in his victory speech but he only provided this reference in Saudi Arabia and not in Turkey. The most considerable aspect of this allusion was that he tried to convince the government officials and Saudi investors on the basis of the ideological ambiance between the two countries for economic assistance.

Analysis of the Frequency of Recurred Words and Connotations
The analysis of recurring words, connotations and phrases is of great value in the discourse analysis of speeches made by political leaders as well as the heads of the states. In traditional grammar, pronoun is used to refer back a noun which is its antecedent. In political discourses, the use of pronouns signifies self-emphasis, solidarity, inclusiveness and unity of purpose among several persons.
The analysis of the frequency of recurred words brought to light the use of personal pronouns by the PM Imran Khan. The frequency score of the use of first person "I" by Imran Khan in speech-1, 2 and 3 was 3, 16 and 11 respectively. On the contrary, the score of the use of first person "We" in speech-1, 2 and 3 was 87, 80 and 22. This vivid difference illustrates that Imran Khan preferred to express representation of his country over self-projection. As a result, he expressed inclusiveness talking about the future economic policies of the country. Among the other recurred words, the names of countries were prominent. Being a representative of Pakistan and for the construction of discourse for the economic recovery of Pakistan, the repeated use of word "Pakistan", was accordingly. The repeated use of word "China" not only in China but also in Saudi Arabia and Turkey demonstrated the close ties and joint ventures of the two countries "which are exemplary" and an ample proof of the efforts of Pakistan for economic retrieval according to the Prime Minister.
Similarly, the word "corruption" occurred 10 times and 9 times in speech-1 and speech-2 respectively. It suggested that the Prime Minister admitted that corruption is the greatest hurdle in the way to economic development. The word "minerals" occurred 2 times in each of the first two speeches. The repeated use of "minerals" was to convey to the foreign forums that Pakistan has a rich potential in the form of mineral resources and foreign investors can launch joint ventures for their exploration in Pakistan.
Likewise, CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) occurred 6 times in speech-1 and 1 time in speech-2 but did not occur in speech-3. It revealed that despite the fact that the agenda in all the speeches was common but PM Imran Khan adapted his address according to the audience and experimented different diction in different situations. The repeated use of CPEC was an evidence of successful joint ventures of Pakistan along with China providing a hope for economic revival in future. As far as the repetition of key words like "business" and "Investors", in all the three speeches was concerned, it reflected the economic agenda which was common in all of them. The recurrence of words "overseas", "tourism", "houses" and "potential" in all the speeches showed that PM Imran Khan utilized almost same vocabulary for attracting the foreign investors to Pakistan capitalizing on the main strengths of the country.

Results and Discussion
The analysis of the sample of three speeches delivered by PM Imran Khan during foreign visits brought to light that linguistic devices played a very vital role in constructing a discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan at international forums. It was also discovered that context remained pivotal in the choice of discursive practices keeping in view the agenda and the audience design particularly in terms of foreign forums.
The use of specific terminology pertaining to the field of economy including fiscal deficit, current account deficit, foreign reserves, loans, IMF, business, ease of business, investors, economic zones, trade, CPEC, PRT, Belt and Road Initiative etc. has been employed repeatedly in a very relevant way covering all major aspect of Pakistan's economy. In this context, he admitted the ineffective economic policies of the past along with their causes and then shared the future plans to embark upon the agenda of economic recovery.
Prime Minister of Pakistan relied upon the discursive strategy of constructive selfimpression of the country in the construction of his discourse. The frequent use of pronominal "we" instead of "I" reflected that he was representing the voice of his team members of government officials as well as his nation regarding the present economic conditions and the future planning and its implementation for economic recovery of Pakistan.
The use of ethnic and figurative expressions was to convince the foreign forums that the struggling period in the domain of national economy for Pakistan was similar to the challenging phase faced by them and with their assistance and guidance, Pakistan would also bounce back and make its mark.
The use of active voice by the Prime Minister Imran Khan was an expression of determination and strong will on the part of the government to address all the economic challenges, seek assistance of the friendly countries and take the required practical steps to overcome the economic hurdles for attaining economic stability.
The achievement of cohesiveness in the speeches employing successfully the devices like anaphoric and cataphoric references in order to develop connectivity among various arguments proved helpful in linking the emerging themes like corruption and poverty alleviation to main theme of economic recovery of Pakistan.
The inclusion of international, historical, scientific and Islamic allusions considering the relevance, ethnicity and ideological preferences proved facilitating in developing the desired discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan in a convincing way.
The measurement of frequency of recurred words and connotations proved helpful in determining the emerging themes and assessing their relevance to the discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan.

Conclusion
The present research explored the role of the discursive practices including the use of specific terminology, repetition, constructive self-impression, figurative expressions, active voice, cohesiveness and allusions employing qualitative content analysis approach to the text of the sample of 3 speeches of PM Imran Khan addressed to the foreign forums during his official visits to Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey in order to investigate the construction of discourse of economic recovery for Pakistan. The analysis and the results of the study led the researcher to draw the inference that the discursive practices like the use of specific terminology, repetition, constructive self-impression, figurative expressions, active voice, cohesiveness and allusions proved to be an effective tool in the construction of a discourse of economic recovery for the country by the PM Imran Khan at international forums reflecting the appraisal and respect for the ideologies of the target audience and winning their persuasion and approval in anticipation. The aim of building this discourse appeared to seek financial assistance from the visited countries in the form of loans for paying the previous loans, foreign investments in order to retain the balance of foreign reserves, joint ventures to provide employment to the youth and the strategic help in order to curb corruption, the greatest hurdle in the way to economic recovery.
As the sample of data in the form of speeches was limited to only three speeches during the visits of PM Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey and other speeches with the same agenda delivered to the similar economic forum could not be included so the researcher was restrained to comparatively restricted data for the analysis.
Apart from the limitations of the research, it is hoped that it will contribute in providing an insight to interested experts in the field of economy at home and abroad, in understanding the economic challenges faced by Pakistan envisaged by the government, the future economic planning and the steps initiated by the government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to materialize the discourse of economic recovery of Pakistan.
There is margin for research scholars to further explore this area. The use of discursive practices by one head of the state can be studied in comparison to the other with a diverse agenda to find out the impact of ideology and culture in their choice.