(Project, Group No: 2)

PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY

Course: History of South Asia

Submitted to: Mr. Rizwan Sharif

Submitted by: Hira Bibi

Registration No: 2020-LLB (SS)-027

Semester: LLB-III (2020-2025)

Fall, 2021

Date of Submission: 25 Dec, 2021

Department of Law

Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi

Table of Contents

1
1. PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY............................................................................................4

● BY PROF. JOSEPH FRANKEL..................................................................................................4

● BY GEORGE MALDLIKOSI.....................................................................................................4

3 FOREIGN POLICIES MAKING AGENCIES OF PAKISTAN.................................................4

3.1 Administrative troika & Ministry of Foreign Affairs............................................................5

3.2 Intelligence Agencies.............................................................................................................5

3.3 Political Parties and Parliament.............................................................................................5

4 DETERMINANTS OF FOREIGN POLICY...............................................................................5

4.1 Ideology.................................................................................................................................6

4.2 Economic Development.........................................................................................................6

4.3 Population..............................................................................................................................6

4.4 History...................................................................................................................................7

4.5 Geography..............................................................................................................................7

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1. PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY

Foreign policy is conduct or a method or an instrument or an activity to make, run and manage
relations with other state in this international world. Pakistan foreign policy is seeks of
protecting, promoting and advancing of national interest of country is called foreign policy. It is
combination of decision and action to make relationship with other states.

Pakistan’s Foreign Policy seeks to protect, promote and advance Pakistan’s national interests in
the external domain.

● BY PROF. JOSEPH FRANKEL

“Foreign policy consists of decisions and actions which involves to some appreciable extend
relations between state and others”

● BY GEORGE MALDLIKOSI

Foreign policy is defined as the systematic activities evolved by communities for changing the
behavior of other state for adjusting their own activities in an international environment. 1

2 IMPLEMENTATIONS OF FOREIGN POLICY

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan maintains a large diplomatic network across the world.
Pakistan is the second largest Muslim majority country in terms of population and is the only
Muslim majority nation to have possession of nuclear weapons. Pakistan signed many
agreements with China and other countries and implement psychological methods to Control the
mind of other nation and use Economic methods to exchange money, import and export. And
also implements military methods. Implements of cultural method through Exhibition, Musical
Concert, tourism and fashion shows. 2

1
Shamshad Ahmed, Post-9/11 Foreign Policy of Pakistan, Criterion Quarterly, Vol 1, No 1, September 2013
2
Ahmar, M. (2009). Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Making Process: A case study of Pakistan. Karachi: Department of
International Relations, University of Karachi.

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3 FOREIGN POLICIES MAKING AGENCIES OF PAKISTAN

In the formulation of foreign policy, the statesmen including all other policy makers play a
conclusive role. Policy makers define the situation not only in terms of conditions abroad, but
also in terms of what is feasible bureaucratically. They receive information from various
government agencies and the alternatives they consider are often alternatives that have been
drafted and debated by lower officials of various government departments Foreign policy making
factors are as under:

3.1 Administrative troika & Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Administrative troika includes the President of Pakistan, the Prime Minister and chief of Army
Staff. It plays very important in formulating foreign policy. It can approve or disapprove the
foreign policy of Pakistan or can make any change in it. The ministry can play very important in
formulating the foreign policy. It comprises the specialist and experts of foreign policy and the
bureaucrats of high level. They formulate the policy, plans and programs regarding the priorities
of foreign policy, and fully cooperate with Troika for its preparation. In accordance with new
constitutional amendment, the troika has been replaced by the National Security Council. 3

3.2 Intelligence Agencies

Pakistan’s intelligence agencies also play very effective role in the formulation of foreign policy
by providing full information about the objectives of other countries’ foreign policies.

3.3 Political Parties and Parliament

The political parties and pressure groups have deep impacts on the formulation of foreign policy.
The political parties include the priorities of foreign policy in their manifestoes, and after their
success in the elections, they force the government to change the priorities of foreign policy
according to the changing scenario in the light of their view points.

3
Sattar, A, Pakistan’s Foreign Policy 1947-2016: A concise history, 4rth Edition, Oxford University Press, Karachi,
2018

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually prepares the foreign policy according to the directions of
executive and puts it before the Parliament for approval. After discussion and debate the
parliament gives approval to it or suggests some changes in it.4

4 DETERMINANTS OF FOREIGN POLICY

The determinants of foreign policy are many. Specific factors may play a key role in determining
the foreign policy of a particular state. But this does not mean that a single entity can become a
determinant of foreign policy. In fact, more than one element is spread over foreign policy. Some
of them can be considered primary and some can be considered as a secondary component.

4.1 Ideology

Foreign Policy is a set of principles and a strategic plan of action adopted by a nation to fulfill
the goals of national interest. It has always an ideological content. For securing support for its
goal as well as for criticizing the foreign policy goals of other nations, it needs and adopts an
ideology or some ideological principles. Pakistan is an ideological state and its foreign policy is
based upon the ideology of Pakistan or Islam. The foreign policy is meant to protect the
ideology. The stability of Pakistan is also dependent upon ideology. Pakistan can protect its
ideology by developing good relationship with Muslim countries. All the constitutions of
Pakistan emphasized on establishing good relations with Muslim countries. Pakistan has also
played an important role in the establishment of OIC and ECO.

4.2 Economic Development

The level of economic development also determines the scope of relations that a nation wishes to
establish with other nations. The nature and style of foreign policy is largely determined by
economic resources. The economic strength of a state is an indicator of its affordability. The
effect of that ability is reflected in relations with other states. Pakistan is a developing country
and inspire for its economic development. It needs to establish and maintain cordial relations
with those states with whom it can maximize its trade relations or from whom it can obtain
maximum economic benefits. Pakistan has made changes in its foreign policy keeping in view
4
Muhammad Muzaffar, Zahid Yaseen, Uroosa Ishfaq, Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Initial Perspectives and Stages,
Vol. I, Global Regional Review, (2016)

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the new economic trends. It has adopted particularly free trade, free economic policy and policy
of privatization.5

4.3 Population

The population is considered one of the important determinants of foreign policy. For a long
time, the population has been regarded as an important principle for measuring state power. The
relation between population and foreign policy gains importance in terms of the capability of a
state. From a historical perspective, Pakistan’s population according to the 1951 census was
75million. Being a newly born country, a large number of resources were required to manage the
mass migration that occurred due to partition. That was a time to develop a close relationship
with a superpower through long term assistance. However, today Pakistan has a large population
of 200mn with the growing middle class, strong industrial base with a growing appetite of
energy. Pakistan can capitalize on its market size by developing prudent foreign policy to lure
bug economies like Russia to invest in infrastructure and can bring consumer industries in the
country.6

4.4 History

Since its inception, Pakistan has been facing complex challenges. Hence, the country’s foreign
policy is also guided by its history. Pakistan and India relations have been spoiled by distrust and
antagonism. Pakistan and Afghanistan have also been at odds since long, major concern being
the Durand Line which Afghanistan is not willing to accept an international border. Thanks to
the old imperial connections, we immediately got sucked into the Cold War struggle. In the
process, we encountered unbroken series of crises and challenges that perhaps, no other country
in the world has ever experienced. So, foreign policy makers cannot remain oblivious to these
factors.7

History offers a means of explaining and understanding how the world around us has
taken shape. However, it also reminds us of how today’s world is defined by a process of

5
M. A. H. Ispahani, THE FOREIGN POLICY OF PAKISTAN 1947-1964, Vol. 17, 1964
6
Shamshad Ahmed, Post-9/11 Foreign Policy of Pakistan, Criterion Quarterly, Vol 1, No 1, September 2013
7
Amer Rizwan, AN INTRODUCTION TO FOREIGN POLICY: DEFINITION, NATURE & DETERMINANTS, AUGUST 2, 2009,
HTTP://AMERRIZWAN.BLOGSPOT.COM/2009/08/INTRODUCTION-TO-FOREIGN-POLICY.HTML

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constant change. Ultimately, the study of history is essential for understanding the past and
the present, but also for envisioning the future.

4.5 Geography

Geography of a state is relatively the most permanent and stable factor of its foreign Policy. The
topography of land, its fertility, climate and location are the major geographic factors which
influence the Foreign Policy of a nation. No country could change its geography nor choose its
neighbors. So, in Pakistan, sole consideration has been on safeguarding and preserving country’s
independence and territorial integrity. Geography, thus, placed on Pakistan the onerous
responsibility of consistent vigilance and careful conduct of its relations not only with its
immediate neighbors but also with the rest of the world.8

8
Hasan Askari Rizvi, “Pakistan and the Geostrategic Environment: A Study of Foreign Policy,” (London:
Macmillan Press, 1993).