GENERALLY, a potent or potential power it refers to a nation-state with significant influence and capabilities across multiple domains, this often includes substantial military strength, a robust economy, diplomatic influence and cultural impact.
Amid a few domestic challenges, Pakistan still builds a viable narrative of becoming a rising potent power. Pakistan’s geopolitical importance is increasing in the evolving global order. Its strategic location, bordering key regions, likely contributes to this. The changing dynamics, including shifts in alliances and economic power, influence Pakistan’s role. Many factors play instrumental role in signifying Pakistan’s potential as a significant global power, particularly in the domain of peace diplomacy and security.
Based on its strategic geography and increasing focus on geoeconomics, Pakistan is attempting to leverage its position at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East to boost its global importance. In a changing global order, Pakistan’s geopolitical importance has intensified due to its strategic location, deep ties with China and evolving relationships with the US and Middle Eastern powers. There have been multiple factors enhancing, reshaping and rivitalising Pakistan’s potential as a significant global power in a new changing world order.
Objectively, Pakistan is shifting its foreign policy from a traditional geopolitical focus to a geoeconomic approach, prioritizing economic partnerships and regional integration. This strategy is designed to promote economic resilience by diversifying beyond traditional sectors and reducing dependence on foreign aid. Pakistan is actively balancing its relationships with major global powers like the US and China to secure investments and business deals. Additionally, the country has developed realizable relations with Moscow while jettisoning the Cold War-era hostilities.
As a declared nuclear-weapons state, Pakistan’s arsenal provides a deterrent against external threats, particularly from neighbouring India and influences the regional balance of power. The country is consistently ranked among the world’s most capable military forces, with firepower concentrated in ground forces, a large and capable air force and a balanced naval fleet. The country has also been moving away from Cold War-era hostilities to strengthen ties with Russia.
In 2025, Pakistan and the US conducted a joint counter-terrorism operation, which was seen as a sign of renewed bilateral cooperation and strategic coordination. Notwithstanding the fact that Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change because of the growing existential threats from environmental change, including water shortages, food insecurity and climate-driven migration. Addressing these issues requires significant adaptive strategies, Pakistan is a challenge accepting and a resilient nation.
It goes without saying that in the May 2025 war with India , Pakistan’s Baynun Marsoos and Marka-Haque established a new normal on two fronts, conventional and non-conventional warfare as ‘’Pakistan has traditionally emphasised deterrence through the threat of swift retaliation, its nuclear doctrine implicitly suggesting low thresholds for use in the event of an existential threat. Arguably, by 2025, Pakistan was no longer merely absorbing shocks since it was poised ‘’to respond with precision, manage escalation within thresholds and shape strategic outcomes without defaulting to brinkmanship’’ Moreover, Islamabad has ostensibly and undoubtedly established its nuclear deterrence stability in South Asia.
Lt. Gen (RETD) Khalid Kidwai, the architect of Pak FSD doctrine and Advisor to Pakistan’s National Command Authority (NCA), has recently stated in his latest brief to the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) that Pakistan has achieved deterrence stability in South Asia. This implies that Pakistan believes its nuclear capabilities contribute to a stable security environment in the region, preventing potential conflicts through mutually assured destruction. The statement suggests confidence in Pakistan’s nuclear program and its ability to maintain strategic balance. This also indicates a belief that the current deterrence posture is sufficient to address security challenges. The latest statements from India’s military quarters demonstrate nothing but a superiority complex mockery, masking underlying insecurities and failures.
Moreover, as a nuclear-armed Muslim-majority nation, Pakistan plays a significant role in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and maintains strong bilateral relations with Gulf States like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This position gives it influence in Muslim world affairs and a strategic connection to energy-rich regions. Regional connectivity hub: Pakistan is positioned to serve as a corridor for regional trade, particularly for landlocked Central Asian Republics (CARs) seeking access to the sea. This potential is a key part of its geoeconomic strategy. Also, Pakistan’s proximity to key trade routes, including the CPEC enhances its geopolitical influence. With a growing middle class and increasing investment technology and infrastructure, Pakistan is poised to leverage its human capital and strategic assets to emerge as a stronger nation.
Needless to say, Pakistan’s agreements –for “Green and Livelihood Corridors” focusing on renewable energy and climate-resilient agriculture.—play crucial role in futute. And most importantly, the relations between Washington and Islamabad are now touching the new heights. Recent high-level meetings, including a visit by the Pakistani Prime Minister to the White House in September 2025, reflect renewed US recognition of Pakistan’s importance in regional dynamics. A new defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, announced in September 2025, is poised to reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape.
This agreement is seen as a significant move in regional defence cooperation—magnifying Pakistan’s defence forces’ security role in the region. In this regard, Pakistan’s civil and military leaderships move in tandem. In the diplomatic sphere, Pakistan has successfully navigated the great-power rivalry between the US and China presents a complex tapestry of a balancing act—as having over-reliance on one partner carries risks of political and economic exposure to external shocks. To conclude, Pakistan’s strategic location, its strategic assets including a powerful military with allied nuclear capabilities, its growing economy, its youthful population, its growing diplomatic leverage, all these factors richly contribute to Pakistan’s rising status as a potent regional and global power.
—The writer, based in Pakistan, an independent IR & International Law analyst, also an expert in Conflict and Peace Studies (with special focus on Palestine, Kashmir), is member of European Consortium of Political Research (ECPR), including the Washington Foreign Law Society/American Society of International Law.
