WORLD politics has now entered an era in which old alignments are rapidly changing. During Cold War, the world was largely divided between two major super powers yet today the landscape is far more complex. The United States is trying to maintain its global dominance, China is emerging as an economic and strategic power, Russia is seeking to reassert its influence, while countries of the Middle East and Gulf are also developing their own independent diplomatic and defense priorities.
In this changing world, a new diplomatic opportunity has emerged for Pakistan. The “Financial Times” in its recent analysis, has described Pakistan as a potential “hinge power” that is, a state capable of playing a role in connecting, balancing and facilitating understanding among different centers of power. Over the past few years, Pakistan has sought to advance its relations with several major powers simultaneously. China is Pakistan’s long standing strategic partner, and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connects the economic and geographical interests of both countries. At the same time, Pakistan has been trying to improve its relations with the United States.
The real achievement here is that Pakistan has sought to improve its relationship with the United States without doing so at the expense of its ties with China. This balance is perhaps the most important element for Pakistan in contemporary global politics. At the same time, Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries are also entering a new phase. Another dimension of Pakistan’s diplomatic importance has emerged in the context of tensions between Iran and the United States. Rather than making itself a party to the confrontation, Pakistan has presented itself as a potential bridge for dialogue and reconciliation. The Financial Times has also viewed Pakistan’s diplomatic activity in this context of its growing global importance.
This is precisely where Pakistan’s foreign policy needs to evolve. Instead of simply aligning itself with one major power, Pakistan must adopt a strategy of maintaining simultaneous relationships with multiple centers of power and convert this diplomatic importance into lasting national strength. For this to happen, it is essential that Pakistan improve its economy. This is currently the country’s biggest challenge. If we are strengthening relations with the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and other countries, we must also make our economy strong enough to ensure that our foreign policy is shaped by national interests rather than economic compulsions.
Today, Pakistan faces an extraordinary opportunity. The world increasingly needs countries that can open channels of communication between different parties. Pakistan possesses the geography for such a role, along with defense capabilities, close relations with China, links with the United States, historic ties with the Gulf countries, and an important position in the Muslim world. If Pakistan can overcome its economic weaknesses and transform its foreign policy into a consistent national strategy, then in the coming years it may become more than a country that merely balances relations among major powers. It could itself emerge as a diplomatic hub—a country with which different powers consider it essential to maintain engagement in pursuit of their respective interests.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Faisalabad.
