On the 14th of August 1947, the ink of the coverage media inscribed a resounding proclamation: “Pakistan has come to live forever,” these profound words were affirmed by the Governor General of the nascent state, Pakistan. These words resounded once more in various forums as the nation celebrated its 76th anniversary in 2023. These 76 years have been a period bedded with challenges for the nation, witnessing an array of both internal and external threats, yet steadfastly maintaining its ground. There is no doubt that a state thrives optimally when guided by a meticulously defined and diligently executed foreign policy that aligns with its short-term and long-term objectives. Foreign policy, undeniably, has always been an integral task for any nation, but in this era of globalization, it holds equal significance to any other policy matter, bearing a pivotal role in the nation’s overall trajectory.
Quaid-e-Azam was the pioneer of Pakistan’s foreign policy, personally assuming the responsibility to craft a comprehensive strategy aimed at fostering friendly relations with immediate neighbours and the Muslim world, thereby initiating the nation’s journey. His policy was rooted in the promotion of peace and cooperation among nations, guiding Pakistan towards progress, as is evident from his words; “We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial and friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the world at large.” The path for our foreign policy was set, and the country was destined to achieve positive results from this progressive narrative. Regrettably, we couldn’t maintain this stance and deviated during the Cold War and changing world dynamics, which led to a less appreciated position in the global order.
Fostering cultural relations between nations and promoting mutual trust among citizens of different countries are integral aspects of an effective foreign policy.
Before delving into Pakistan’s foreign policy endeavours, it’s important to understand the key components of a robust foreign policy. This policy primarily aims at economic development and geo-strategic security. Achieving this balance necessitates careful resource allocation for both short-term and long-term goals, with a crucial emphasis on aligning these objectives. Additionally, fostering cultural relations between nations and promoting mutual trust among citizens of different countries are integral aspects of an effective foreign policy. Notably, such a well-structured foreign policy opens the door to economic well-being by facilitating regional and international trade agreements.
Pakistan in its early days was resourcefully weak enough to seek financial assistance from other nations but unfortunately, the status quo of this begging bowl developed to such an extent that dried our can-do attitude and we landed in the hands of other powers. Such dependence made our state accountable for its every action, a recent example of America being not happy with Pakistan for visiting Russia and establishing the Pak-Iran gas pipeline. Following this very pattern, world powers try to engulf the developing nations in debt traps to exploit them as they please, as is referred to by John Perkins in his famous book “Confessions of An Economic Hitman.”
The National Security of a nation depends both on military power and economic progress. Pakistan’s policymakers have tried engaging most of their resources on the former deeming the latter less important. A close study of the Soviet Union in the Cold War reveals that lack of economic and technological progress became their weak link which led them to a loss in such an extended war game. Similarly, China’s rise as a superpower must be credited to the non-violent policy of Mao Deng where maximum resources were allocated to economic growth which served as a strong base for its military rise eventually. Pakistan should learn from these examples and imply a non-violent policy that focuses primarily on economic progress but not at the cost of compromising national security.
The policy of alignment towards one block narrows down the options of a nation on the global stage and deprives it of fostering strategic and economic alliances on a larger scale. Pakistan’s pro-West policy had been the cause of Russia and Iran’s cold relations with it. West used Pakistan as a front-line state against the Soviet march of Afghanistan and the same West then pushed Pakistan to take a U-turn and fight against the Taliban. Such strategies not only weakened Pakistan’s image on the globe but also bestowed it with the menace of terrorism the likes of which are still haunting us.
One other flaw that has been seen in Pakistan’s foreign policy is the hunger for unnecessary adventure and strategic over-stretch. When a country overestimates its power, it is doomed to failure. 1999 Kargil Operation was the result of the miscalculated adventure of some generals which led the country to an awkward position as the Lahore Declaration was signed the same year between Nawaz Sharif and Indian PM Atal Vajpayee. This shows the gap between political administration and the military where the latter is supposed to serve under the former constitutionally. This could be the reason for a full-fledged war with India but fortunately, things did not escalate much but Pakistan continued its struggle of seeking the right path.
Pakistan’s history holds a lot of potential for the relevant state actors to learn and upgrade their foreign policy accordingly. A policy to push the economy through various economic and trade deals on regional as well as international levels would be highly appreciated. Tapping the underlying potential of regional cooperation organizations, and taking the EU as a role model, could make the country much more productive for the country. Pakistan should try to fuse tensions with neighbouring countries while keeping an eye on its borders with Afghanistan and India. A proactive policy must be adopted to crush terrorism and ensure that it stays offshore. A policy based on a realistic evaluation of the country’s resources, having the input of all concerned military and civil institutions, which promotes mutual peace and cooperation is inevitable for Pakistan’s prosperity. Let’s hope that our stakeholders rise to the occasion and understand that Pakistan needs us all to join hands and take it forward.
.The writer is a student.