Pakistan presented its first National Security Policy (NSP) in January 2022. The policy emphasised a shift to economic security and a citizen-centric approach. Former National Security Advisor Moeed Yousaf led the idea of recognising that economic security was crucial for overall national security. Seen in the context of Pakistan's foreign policy towards Afghanistan, it is hard to understand how geo-economics can precede geopolitics.

Pakistan provides Afghanistan its primary transit route, serves as its largest export market and acts as its principal diplomatic emissary to the world. It's not just geo-economics but geopolitics that binds both countries in a not-so-friendly but enduring relationship. In the matter of Afghanistan, a recent geopolitical event is dominating the current discourse on Afghanistan.

Russia has recently rolled a geopolitical dice that may have far-reaching regional and global implications. By according diplomatic recognition to the Taliban regime, the first by any country, the Russian dice puts on spot the very idea of international consensus led by the US not to do so. It is not just Russia but China also that is supporting the idea of developing a regional consensus in treating the Taliban not just as a military movement or a rogue regime but as a responsible political force that can be trusted with the process of state-building.

Countries in the Russian and Chinese sphere of influence must already have sensed the bigger picture behind the Russian idea of the roll of this dice. With one roll of the dice, Russia has indicated that it is ready to forego all the historical animosity and grievances that........

© The Express Tribune