Great powers seek to achieve their political goals by controlling the geography of the world. Today, the number of political actors seeking influence is increasing, and the domains of political competition and cooperation are expanding. Countries are seeking to gain strategic advantages by cooperating to address common technological, economic, and environmental challenges. The world is becoming more interconnected in terms of flows of information, capital, and people, and countries are becoming more dependent on their neighbors and the international community for greater leverage.
Pakistan is a country located in South Asia, bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest, and China to the north. It is strategically located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia, making it a significant player in the changing geopolitics of the region and the world. Therefore, Pakistan seeks to improve relations with China, Russia, the USA, and other Western countries in this changing world, so that it can succeed in geopolitical rebalancing. However, Pakistan’s efforts to restore relations with the West will not succeed unless it accepts the imperatives of economic reform and political stability.
In 2011, relations between Pakistan and America were weak due to the killing of two young Pakistanis by a contractor of the Central Intelligence Agency and the unilateral US action in North Pakistan, which embarrassed the government and army of Pakistan. At the same time, Pakistan’s traditionally national security elite moved to deepen its partnership with China, already a long-standing partner. The two countries stepped up their defense partnership and launched the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a bilateral part of the Belt and Road Initiative. However, poorly negotiated projects and increased imports led to uneven growth, balance of payments crisis, and an unbalanced economic partnership.
Since 2011, Pakistan has also expanded its ties with other middle and major powers, including Turkey and Russia, and its strategic partnership with China. However, Pakistan’s dependence on China in both the economic and military sectors began to burden the Pakistan Army, while efforts to reach the Biden Administration accelerated after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. By the end of the 1960s, the USA and Pakistan had begun trying to reset relations, but Pakistani officials appear unable to accept the new, limited terms of the relationship.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari recently completed his fifth visit to the USA in the last year. During a visit in December, Zardari spent 10 days in the USA and only managed to speak to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the phone, despite both men being in Washington. In contrast, India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval made a short scheduled visit to Washington earlier this year, meeting with at least three cabinet members as well as senior military officials, including agency heads. The Chairman Joint Chiefs was also included.
Pakistan’s military appears eager to get Washington’s attention, claiming that it could fall prey to a “Chinese debt trap” due to China’s request to build a port at Gwadar, which will serve as the operating station for the port operated by China. There has also been speculation that a Chinese naval base may be established in the future. However, this inconsistent and ambiguous policy could potentially damage Pakistan’s relationship with Beijing, as the military may be ignoring the advice of the country’s diplomats.
Pakistan’s position in the changing geopolitics of the world is complex and multifaceted, with a range of domestic and international factors at play. While it faces significant challenges, it also has the potential to play a key role in shaping the future of the region and beyond. Once Pakistan puts itself on the path of sustainable development, the world will come to it.
Another difficulty in promoting US-Pakistan cooperation is that Pakistani-American advocacy groups and members of Congress have issued statements against human rights violations in Pakistan in response to the crackdown against the party of Pakistani ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, and they are mobilizing to take action.
Pakistan’s rulers must address the imbalance in their relationship with Beijing while also understanding Washington’s indifference to their strategic situation. For example, a new report by the Center for a New American Security recommends that in the event of tensions on the India-China border, the USA should “stand ready to provide full support to India” and Pakistan should be made aware of its “need”. However, after India’s unilateral annexation of Kashmir, how can Pakistan remain neutral?
Pakistan should focus on domestic economic reforms and human development while avoiding geopolitical and regional political divisions in pursuit of its geopolitical interests. Saudi Arabia is flush with cash, and while India is a lower-middle-income country, it is a huge market for US investors. Both are able to attract Fortune 500 CEOs and titans of finance to forums in their countries even as they clash with the USA on oil prices or human rights.
In recent years, Pakistan has been facing a number of challenges, including a struggling economy, internal security threats, and tensions with neighbouring countries such as India and Afghanistan. However, it has also been seeking to position itself as a key player in the region, particularly in light of the evolving power dynamics and changing geopolitical landscape.
One of the key factors driving Pakistan’s efforts to increase its strategic importance is its partnership with China, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC is a massive infrastructure development project that aims to connect China’s western region to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan, and it has the potential to significantly boost Pakistan’s economy and regional influence. Furthermore, by its partnership with China, Pakistan has also been seeking to strengthen its relationships with other regional and global powers, such as the USA, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. It has also been playing a key role in facilitating peace talks in neighbouring Afghanistan, which is another important factor in its regional strategic calculus.
Pakistan’s position in the changing geopolitics of the world is complex and multifaceted, with a range of domestic and international factors at play. While it faces significant challenges, it also has the potential to play a key role in shaping the future of the region and beyond. Once Pakistan puts itself on the path of sustainable development, the world will come to it.
