Still no full-time FM
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has remained strangely tight-lipped about his decision not to appoint a full-time foreign minister. Of late, the foreign policy sea has been calmer than not too long ago, which has kept pressure off the prime minister. Zarb-e-Azb was taken well regionally and also in Washington; even the ‘do more’ demand dropped for a while. Difficulties with India were also overcome to a large extent when Modi, according to Islamabad, finally saw reason and came to Lahore for the symbolic visit. The Afghans, too, despite their grievances, have decided to go ahead with the peace process.
However, the tide seems to be turning once again, demanding a more active foreign ministry than usual. The Indian government took the Pathankot attack better than expected. But now, expectedly, they have tied further advancement in negotiations with Pakistan ‘walking the talk’, as their union home minister summed it up the other day. Washington, despite its appreciation of the military operation, has now tied Coalition Support Fund (CSF) disbursements with the defence secretary being satisfied with Islamabad’s crackdown on the Haqqani Network. And the Afghan process will not be as smooth as expected either. Just yesterday Pakistan and Afghanistan’s intelligence chiefs met to find ways to ‘reduce the trust deficit’, as doubts and apprehensions dominate the road to the Feb 6 summit.
At such times the foreign office usually works over-time, with a proactive minister presenting the country’s case at relevant forums. And, still without a dedicated foreign minister, it is little surprise that Pakistan is often behind the curve on important international developments. The foreign office’s lack of clarity has been amply demonstrated throughout the crisis in the Middle East, especially the two times Pakistan was invited to lend its forces in favour of Saudi Arabia. And it is on display once again as Islamabad scrambles to keep pace with crucial regional developments that will have a direct, lasting impact on Pakistan. With half the electoral cycle remaining, the prime minister is advised to listen to the voice of reason and appoint a full-time foreign minister so the country is spared needless foreign policy potholes in future.