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[{FOREIGN POLICY OF PAKISTAN| NATIONAL INTEREST OF PAKISTAN}]

The flag of Pakistan

FOREIGN POLICY OF PAKISTAN

“Pakistan’s Foreign Policy seeks to protect, promote and advance Pakistan’s national interests in the comity of nations”

Pakistan has a independent foreign policy when it comes to issues that are vital to its national interests.

Quaid’s Vision on FP of Pakistan

On August 15th 1947, outlining the FP of Pakistan, Quaid e Azam observed:

“Our objective should be peace within and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial and friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with world at large. We have no aggressive designs against any one. We stand by the United Nations Charter and will gladly make our contribution to the peace and prosperity of the world.”

Anticipating the doctrine of non-alignment, the Quaid-i-Azam, in his broadcast talked to the people of USA in February 1948 and said:

“Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and good-will towards all the nations of the world. We do not cherish aggressive designs against any country or nation. We believe in the policy of honesty and fair play in national and international dealings and are prepared to make our utmost contribution to the promotion of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world. Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending its material and moral support to the oppressed and suppressed of the United Nations Charter.” 

Foreign policy Objectives of Pakistan

• Peaceful Co- existence
• Non-Alignment
• Implementation of Unite Nations Charter
• Bilateralism
• Support to Right of Self- Determination
• Unity of Islamic World
• De- Weaponisation
• Establishment of Peace
• Good Relations with Neighbours
• International and Regional Cooperation

COMPONENT OF PAKISTAN's NATIONAL INTEREST:

1.The first component of a country’s national interest is to maintain its territorial integrity by being able to defend itself from any external aggression. Related to the above is the preservation of its sovereignty in the sense that the state is able to take all the decisions without being under duress or command of outside forces.

2.The second component of the national interest of a country is the wellbeing of its citizens by ensuring decent standards of living for its populace. This, in turn, is dependent upon a country growing at a rate commensurate with its survival and growth needs.

3.Third component of the national interest of a country is to maintain internal cohesion and harmony: With few exceptions, all modern nation states are multi ethnic entities in which the different communities compete for the scarce resources. This is a healthy competition if it remains confined within the constitutional limits. However, if some groups cross those boundaries, it may weaken the very foundations of the state and create existential threat for the country. Thus the national interest of the country lies in containing that unrest and instead improve their cohesion.

4.Lastly, the fourth essential component of the national interest of a country is the preservation of regional peace and stability in the region where it is located or have vital interests. No country howsoever powerful may be, can live in peace and enjoy prosperity if there is turmoil just outside its borders. Civil war in a neighboring country not only results in the influx of refugees with attendant consequences, it may also result in internal turmoil if a section of the population starts taking part in that external conflict, crises or war on the basis of ethnic affinity or religious feelings.

Regional Peace and stability:

While reserving its right to defend its territorial integrity and national sovereignty, Pakistan, being a peace loving nation-state, acting responsibly in global and regional affairs, believes in peaceful coexistence. Consequently, regional peace is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s national interest for which it has four objectives

1.Eliminating the safe havens of terrorists created by the footloose/state sponsored terrorist’s outfits within the country

2.Striving for the establishment of a broad-based government in Afghanistan which could end its decades long civil war paving way for the return of millions of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan for the last quarter of a century.

3.Working with the Afghan government to ensure that stop the terrorists using Afghanistan as a base for launching of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

4.Maintaining of good neighbourly relations with all the regional countries in general and with India in particular to ensure that the terrorists do not get financial, material and diplomatic support

In order to safeguard its national interest, a state formulates a comprehensive national policy consisting of host of social, economic and political policies and related strategies to achieve the various objectives set under the above mentioned four components of the National Interests. Foreign policy is a part and parcel of this national policy which is formulated to achieve the objectives set to safeguard its national interest.

Territorial Integrity and National Sovereignty

There cannot be two opinions on the overriding importance of ensuring its territorial integrity and preserving its national sovereignty in its formulation of national interest. In order to exist as an independent, sovereign nation state, Pakistan has been trying to achieve the following four objectives

1.Maintaining a well-trained and well equipped defense forces by providing them state of the art training and equipping them with modern weaponry.

2.Building a credible indigenous defense armaments capability to attain self-sufficiency in the production of conventional arms and ammunitions

3.Acquiring an effective nuclear, strategic and tactical, capability to compensate it for the lack of adequate strategic depth and comparatively inadequate resources against its adversary.

4.Cultivating friendly relations with China and the Muslim Block to help it with the requisite diplomatic support in case of external aggression

That is why we have been cultivating friendly relations with those countries, capable of meeting our defence needs. Joining American-sponsored defence pacts like SEATO and CENTO and concluding Mutual Defence Pact with the USA in the 1950s by Pakistan was precisely for this reason. When USA imposed an embargo on supply of military equipment during 1965 War with India, Pakistan had no option but to court China. At the same time, Pakistan has been maintaining friendly relations with its neighbours and the Muslim countries for diplomatic support in case of external aggression.

Economic Well-being of the People:

Ensuring that the country has the necessary wherewithal to improve the quality of life of the common citizens by meeting their basic needs at affordable cost has been the second most important component of the national interest formulated by the state of Pakistan. A state which cannot meet the basic needs of the people loses its legitimacy, resulting in existential threat for the country itself. History is replete with instances of states breaking due to economic shortfalls. After all, one of the main reasons for the breakup of former USSR was its inability to provide its citizens with the basic goods of daily use. For this purpose, Pakistan has been trying to achieve the following four objectives

1.Achieving a sustainable and inclusive growth whose gains are distributed equitably among all the regions of the country and all the sections of the society.

2.Access to foreign markets not only to ensure un-interrupted supply of essential resources including technology but also to sell its exportable surplus at competitive rates

3.Attracting Foreign Direct investment to develop it human and natural resources, modernization of its economy and upscaling its technology base. 4.Obtaining foreign economic assistance from bilateral or multilateral sources to bridge the resource gap

Internal Stability and Cohesion:

Pakistan was a 5000 years old society and 150 years old nation when it came into existence as an independent nation- state on 14th of August 1947 after the dissolution of British Indian Empire. Newly carved out state contained 5 major and more than 12 minor nationalities which no doubt had successfully launched a movement for the creation of an independent nation-state of their own but was a far cry from calling itself a one nation. Consequently, nation building has been one of the biggest challenges facing Pakistan since its creation 70 years ago. For this purpose, it has four objectives;

1.Formulating a shared vision of a just and prosperous Pakistan enshrined in a duly formulated with consensus and formally approved constitution

2.Ensuring that this shared vision is implemented by well-functioning vibrant institutions to create stakes for everyone to feel satisfied in a united, federal Pakistan.

3.Mainstreaming the marginalized sections and disgruntled elements of society by ensuring good governance at different levels of interaction and taking affirmative action on selective basis where needed

4.Strengthening the democratic process by promoting true political culture (of tolerance and accommodation), strengthening its democratic structures (of parliaments, election commissions,) and letting the various democratic processes (of holding elections at federal, provincial and local levels) continue uninterruptedly

GEO-STRATEGIC LOCATION OF PAKISTAN

The map of Pakistan

Location:

Southern Asia lies between 24 and 36.75 northern latitude and between 61 and 7505 eastern longitude. Area: 7, 96000 sq.km.

Neighbours:

Towards north apart from the state of Kashmir is China. It shares 400 km long boarder with china. Towards north Tajikistan though no boarder but a narrow strip as Wahkhan strip separate the two. Towards east, Punjab-Rajasthan boarders which is 1650 km long Towards west, Afghanistan and Durand line of 2250 km. Towards south, Arabian and Indian sea. Coastal belt is about 700 km.

Pakistan significance is enhanced as it lies near the Persian Gulf where 65% of the world’s oil is produced.