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Delicate Balancing Act

Pakistan’s foreign policy has increasingly encompassed economic dimensions, recognising that national interest is not solely defined by security but also by economic stability and growth.

By Ambassador (R) Naghmana A Hashmi | March 2025


Pakistan’s foreign policy has evolved significantly since its inception in 1947, shaped by a complex interplay of historical, political, and social factors. It presents a multifaceted interaction of short-term exigencies and elements of long-term strategy shaped by geopolitical, geostrategic, geo-economic, and domestic factors.

To understand Pakistan’s foreign policy, it is essential to contextualise it within the framework of its historical narrative and national identity. The creation of Pakistan was predicated on the notion of a separate Muslim identity within the Indian subcontinent. Consequently, the quest for sovereignty and recognition on the global stage has been a core tenet of its foreign policy. The events of partition, coupled with enduring threats from India over Kashmir and Afghanistan over the unresolved issue of the Durand Line, have necessitated the need for a strong defense strategy that continues to shape Pakistan’s strategic vision. This historical backdrop influences our contemporary foreign policy, wherein national interest is intrinsically linked to territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Pakistan’s geographical positioning, bordering India, Afghanistan, Iran, and China, places the country at the nexus of critical geopolitical dynamics. Pakistan’s foreign policy reflects a strategic vision that seeks to leverage its location to bolster its national interests. The All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with China, encapsulated in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), exemplifies this approach. CPEC aims to enhance economic development through infrastructure investment and serves as a bulwark against Indian hegemony in South Asia. This partnership aligns with our long-term vision of creating a multipolar world order wherein it can assert its influence and counterbalance regional adversaries.

Conversely, relations with the United States have fluctuated, characterised by periods of cooperation and tension. The Cold War era marked a significant alignment with the U.S. against the Soviet Union, while the post-9/11 period saw Pakistan positioned as a critical ally in the war on terror. However, the dependence on U.S. military and economic aid has often been seen as a double-edged sword, leading to a precarious balancing act between upholding national interests and adhering to external pressures. This dynamic illustrates the complexities of our foreign policy, where strategic alliances are formed and reformed by shifting global power structures.

The growing strategic rivalry between the United States and China directly impacts Pakistan’s foreign policy. The fact that India is the strategic partner of choice for the U.S. and a counterweight to China makes our predicament even more difficult. Pakistan-India relations have only deteriorated over time, coming now to almost a point where recovery seems elusive, especially in light of India’s unilateral actions in Kashmir. Similarly, Pakistan-Afghanistan relations remain a challenge despite the incredible sacrifices Pakistan has made for Afghanistan since 1979.

Structural imperatives stemming from an international system over which we have little control have also impacted Pakistan’s foreign policy, mainly after the 1979 and 2001 invasions of Afghanistan, respectively. On both occasions, Pakistan couldn’t resist the developing security situation on its western border. During both episodes, while Pakistan remained the United States’ most steadfast ally, it retained its close ties with China, demonstrating that Pakistan could ably balance its foreign policy to best serve its national interest, both short and long-term national interests.

The defining feature of the 21st century at the global geostrategic level is, and will remain, the growing US-China competition and rivalry. This has put Pakistan in an uneasy position as it seems determined to keep the balance between its All-Weather Strategic Cooperation with China and its transactional relationship with the U.S. This is evident in the United States’ sharp criticism of the BRI, of which the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the pilot project and the most critical corridor for the overall success of BRI.

As China grows in economic and military strength, developing economic, political, and security links worldwide, the intensity of the China-US rivalry will rise. The U.S. has declared China as the number one security threat and is determined to implement its policy of containment of China. China and the U.S.A. are now caught in what has been described as Thucydides’s Trap by Graham Allison in his book, “Destined for War.” Whether in managing their relationship, the US and China can avoid a war is a question that defies any clear and definitive answer.

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