MY late professor Iqbal Tajik once likened diplomacy to a strategic chess game, where nations play power games based on careful calculations. His insightful definition, describing diplomacy as ‘the art of saying good doggie until you have time to pick up the stick’, captures the essence of balancing global engagement with national interests. Diplomacy serves as the mechanism through which states and international actors manage representation, communication, and negotiation to advance their goals and maintain global peace and security. Diplomacy is increasingly involving a diverse range of actors, including civil society and the business community, due to the global financial crisis.
Addressing concerns with commercial diplomacy and balancing interests in multilateral and national diplomacy is a key challenge. This has led to the development of images likesoft, multi-stakeholder, and network diplomacy, which acknowledge the growing interaction between state agents, international organizations, and non-state actors. However, there is limited discussion on the implications for state-based diplomacy, its norms, and the demands placed on professional diplomats. The network image has received significant attention, but there is still limited discussion on its implications for state-based diplomacy.
The question arises as to why Pakistan has not learnt the art of diplomacy by engaging its neighbouring India in peaceful settlement of their longstanding issues especially the Kashmir, the answer is not as easy as it should be. The diplomatic environment of the 21st century is marked by change and uncertainty. First there is a remarkable expansion in the number and variety of international actors empowered by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and social media which are now extended beyond traditional NGOs to more amorphous civil society groups. Secondly, the development of a new international security agenda focuses on the security of the individual within the state and includes issues such as climate change or pandemic disease that go well beyond traditional concepts of international security.
Likewise, the resurgence of more traditional geopolitical agendas as states compete for power, resources or territory; expansion of regulatory diplomatic agendas, enhanced by the global financial crisis and demands for more effective banking regulation; and the progressive fragmentation of the rules and norms governing international political and trade relations. These all features maintain one basic idea that gatekeepers guarding the borders of the foreign, should instantly become boundary spanners integrating the different landscapes and actors of the diplomatic environment.
Kashmir has been the bone of contention between Pakistan and India since inception. The two states have fought time and again over this, both through direct means of war and through diplomatic means. This dispute and differences between the two states had created a serious lack of trust as one of the first key factors affecting bilateral relations since they became independent in 1947. The post 9/11 scenario of terrorism also put its weight in heightening the differences, with Indian-backed insurgencies in Balochistan, supplying arms and funding to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and much more.
The Sir Creek, another unsettled dispute, relating to the un-demarcated boundary of the coast of both countries dividing Gujarat in India and Sindh Province in Pakistan, a water body that comes under disputed territory, and of which poor fishermen on both sides of the country are often victims. The dispute over Siachen glacier located in the mountainous area of Himalayas, over which both India and Pakistan claim sovereignty. Both the states continue to deploy thousands of troops in the vicinity of Siachen and attempts to demilitarise the region have been so far unsuccessful.
The Indus Water Treaty protects Pakistan’s rights as a lower riparian while India, as the upper riparian, controls the flow of five rivers. Non-implementation of the treaty has led to significant tensions, with India often exceeding its share and occasionally releasing excess water downstream, causing severe disputes. The nuclear and technological arms race between India and Pakistan further complicates diplomatic efforts, adding another layer of mistrust. Trust between the nations remains fragile, characterized by a zigzag peace process that swings between positive and negative statements without tangible progress toward peace. Media on both sides, failing in its role of public diplomacy, often presents jingoistic and hyper-nationalistic narratives, exacerbating the strained relations.
Unless both states restrict their military escalation on the Line of Control, adhere to the 2003 ceasefire agreement, and improve economic and trade relations through two-way energy connectivity, commercial exchanges, and investments, the art of diplomacy will remain dormant. The involvement of non-state actors is crucial for achieving a stable peace. If these actors are not curtailed by both sides, their actions could continue to trigger conflicts and result in diplomatic failures. Effective diplomacy requires a comprehensive approach that addresses these multifaceted issues, fostering an environment of trust and cooperation between India and Pakistan.
With an emphasis on soft power, cultural heritage, educational exchanges, and global contributions, Pakistan must take a strategic approach to traversing global difficulties and bolstering economic relations. Pakistan’s ability to solve important issues can be strengthened by its active engagement in international organisations such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations. Collaboration and trust will increase with improved bilateral ties with key nations including the US, China, and surrounding regions. Pakistan must adopt a holistic strategy that prioritises collaboration, cultural exchange, and regional stability in order to traverse the intricacies of contemporary diplomacy and protect its interests as a nation.
—The writer is PhD in Political Science and visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad.
