There have been tectonic shifts in Pakistan's wider region.

One; PM Shehbaz Sharif visited China in June 2024 to revitalise CPEC, the flagship project of China's BRI. He attended the SCO summit in August-September 2025. CPEC 2.0, will focus on 5Es: exports; e-Pakistan; energy; environment; and, equity and empowerment. It will be structured around five strategic thematic 'corridors' aligning with Pakistan's 5Es. These include Growth, Innovation, Green, Livelihood-Enhancing, and Opening-Up/Regional Connectivity Corridors. CPEC is dubbed as Pakistan's 'Road to Tomorrow'.

Two; on September 17, after decades of groundwork, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia formalised their strategic partnership by signing the 'Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA)' in Riyadh. The agreement aims to strengthen joint deterrence, stipulating aggression against either country to be considered aggression against both.

Three; on September 25, 2025, President Trump met Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir at the White House for the second time - this time along with PM Shehbaz Sharif. The latest meeting was important in the backdrop of SMDA. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also participated in the 90-minute Oval Office meeting, behind closed doors. As per press reports, discussions focused on security and counterterrorism (CT), US support against threats from Afghanistan, resumption of US-Pakistan military programmes and agreement to establish a "Joint CT Command" in Pakistan. Trump was receptive to conditional recommencement of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Pakistan. Islamabad also sought US investments, and Washington expressed interest in Pakistan's critical minerals.

The meetings with the........

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