A Glance at the Foreign Policy of Pakistan Since its Independence

Pakistan’s geostrategic location and significance always position it at the center of regional and global politics. Since its independence from British rule, Pakistan has been a key player in international politics. At the time of independence, Pakistan was struggling with economic and security dilemmas as it inherited a regional enemy at its eastern border. These dilemmas pushed Pakistan towards the United States in the early years of its inception. Pakistani leadership decided to join the US bloc, making the country a direct party to the Cold War. Pakistan also signed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), the two Cold War-era military alliances against the Soviet Union. 

This alignment fulfilled Pakistan’s immediate ambitions but proved detrimental to its long-term regional and international objectives. Throughout history, the US-Pakistan relations have been transactional. Washington repeatedly engaged with Pakistan to achieve its regional and international ambitions. However, it always used Islamabad as a scapegoat and imposed economic embargoes on it after its ambitions were materialized.

Repeated betrayal by the United States pushed Pakistan towards regional powers, primarily China and Russia. Pakistan and China have been historic allies. Their mutual animosity towards New Delhi serves as the bedrock of their all-weather friendship. The two sides are also collaborating on various infrastructure and development projects, as well as cooperation in defense, intelligence, and energy sectors. Pakistan is also hosting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

However, Pakistan has a bitter history in terms of its relations with Russia. Pakistan’s alignment with the Western bloc during the Cold War led to hostile relations between the two sides. Islamabad played a critical role in the dismemberment of the Soviet Union during the Soviet-Afghan War by supporting the Afghan Taliban. In the past two decades, the two sides have attempted to establish cordial........

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