The evolution of Pakistan’s strategic culture
TRUE, Pakistan has a unique strategic position accompanied by its diverse geo-strategic location, compared to other South Asian countries. Yet, the evolution of its strategic culture has seen the evolutionary variants of our strategic thinking. Both the hard power and soft power, security postures equally remain the most defining features of Pakistan‘s strategic culture. Jack Snyder, described strategic culture as “the sum total of ideals, conditional emotional responses and patterns of behaviour that members of the national strategic community. Proponents of strategic culture foster the argument that the concept can potentially fulfil the national security objectives that states formulate as well as the choices that they make to actuate these objectives.
The strategic culture of any given country has numerous sources and it is bound to remain an ‘elastic’ term given that there are various factors that influence the formation of national culture and a subsequent rationality for security policy and strategic thinking. Factors such as geopolitics, norms and customs, perceptions of regional and international roles, political systems and power sharing (including the balance between military and civilian actors or how military power and institutions are structured). Strategic culture also means an approach to identify and achieve short- and long-term goals and the methodology to protect one’s vital interests. In a nutshell, if provision of economic vibrancy, political stability and comprehensive security to its people is the established criteria to judge the strategic strength of a country, as a developing country, we are committed to confronting the challenges posed to us. Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s strategic culture has undergone changes through different epochs.
The formative Phase: Most importantly, the ideological frontiers of Pakistan were the raison deters to nourish the food for its strategic culture. Right of self-determination to be given to the people of Kashmir became the hallmark of Pakistan foreign policy. Defending Pakistan’ sovereignty and its territorial integrity became an uncompromising pillar of our national security policy. It goes without saying that during the formative phase of the creation of Pakistan, the newly born state had the manifold challenges in order to overcome the economic and political and constitutional challenges posed to it. And above all, to save the ideological frontiers of Pakistan, particularly with reference to the country’s resolve to stand by the people of Kashmir vis-à-vis the right of self-determination granted to them under the Charter of Human Rights also endorsed by the UNSC resolutions on Kashmir (1948-49).
The Cold War & the post-Cold War era: It was during this period that Pakistan entered into the western alliance evidenced by its entry into the SEATO and CENTO—the US coveted alliance against the Communist Russia. All the while during this phase of strategic culture, Pakistan was intrinsically concerned to improve its ties with the Muslim world. It remained persistently concerned about the unresolved issue of Kashmir. To save its right of securing the western waters, it entered in a well celebrated treaty with India in 1960, known as the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), under the sponsorship or mentorship of the World Bank. The Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971 were the major strategic points. The cessation of the East Pakistan in 1971 also a critical historical juncture for the strategic culture of Pakistan.
The Russian occupation of Afghanistan (1979-89) was a geopolitical event of great significance. Most notably, during this period Pakistan provided crucial support in the Cold War struggle against communism, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, and it re-emerged as a “frontline state” in the covert campaign to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan during the 1980s. The US utilised the pivot of political Islam via waging a war of Jihad against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan as it trained Afghan Mujahideen with the help of the American CIA.
After 28 May 1998: in order to counter the threats posed by India’s nuclear explosion on May-13, also known as Pokhran-11, Pakistan became a declared nuclear state thereby heralding a new era of its strategic culture by making a series of consecutive successful nuclear explosion in Chaghi, Balochistan on May 28-1998. And subsequently, it was used to principally foster a three-point nuclear policy in early 2001 as part of the minimum credible deterrence. There is no denying the fact that Pakistan’s nuclear ability has deterred Indian military from any aggression. It is logically argued that ever since the acquisition of nuclear capability, albeit having entrenched political differences, the two nuclear arched rivals have avoided any large-scale military adventure.
The post 9/11 phase: Despite heroic role of the Pakistan Army in the US waged war on terror, the western mythmakers have orchestrated propaganda against Pakistan. Since 2011, the proponents of the realpolitik accuse Pakistan that it has developed sympathies with the Afghan Jehadi groups. The veritable truth is that Pakistan faces the challenge of its security threats launching from the TTP supported on-state actors from Afghanistan. And most importantly, after the US exit strategy from Afghanistan (August, 2021), Pakistan has been constantly facing external threats navigating on its western and eastern borders.
Traditional/non-traditional dimensions: Given the imperatives of traditional/non-traditional security challenges, Pakistan is committed to revitalizing its strategic thinking. Traditionally, the most glaring objectives of Pakistan strategic culture have been to stand by the people of Kashmir in their pursuit of freedom from the Indian yoke; persevering Pakistan’s territorial integrity; preventing India’s counterforce temptations affecting strategic stability; and most importantly, countering threats posed on our western and eastern borders. Whereas, non-traditional strategic thinking focuses to maintain economic and political stability, eradicate poverty, curb the population growth nub religious extremism and address the environmental challenges.
Strategic culture and role of Pak Army: Arguably, one cannot underestimate the role of the army in defending the strategic culture of a country. Be it a situation of war or peace, the role of the army remains of paramount importance vis-à-vis the security structure of a country. In this context, notably, to guard its national security interests, Pakistan’s military — whose professional and institutional endowment is globally recognized –stands highly vigilant. Today, Pakistan is once again under the threat of terrorist attacks. While spending the Eid day with the troops deployed along the Pak-Afghan border, the COAS General Asim Munir said the Army is committed to the defence of frontiers and the defence forces are always ready to thwart any threat to ensure territorial integrity of Pakistan.
—The writer, an independent ‘IR’ researcher-cum-international law analyst based in Pakistan, is member of European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on IR, Critical Peace & Conflict Studies, also a member of Washington Foreign Law Society and European Society of International Law. He deals with the strategic and nuclear issues.
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