Flawed Foreign Policy

Foreign relations between nations must be based on economic interests and mutual benefits and not solely on bonds of faith, nor reactive or ill-perceived concepts of strategic depth. It is time Pakistan’s Foreign Policy should be in hands of qualified professionals with undivided loyalty to Pakistan. The security establishment as a major stake holder must have their input, but not sole authority to shape foreign policy. Military attaches in our foreign embassies can look after national security requirements.

Elected civil governments must appoint best qualified individuals with broad national and international perspective as Foreign Minister, rather than party loyalists. It is criminally neglect of Nawaz government not to appoint a full time Foreign Minister. Appointment of ambassadors to key international capitals should be dictated solely by collective long term national interests and not serve short term objectives of those in power. We have seen damage done to Pakistan by appointment of men like Haqqani and Mahmud Durrani as our ambassadors in Washington.

Other than during tenure of ZAB, our foreign policy has been slave to ill conceived perceptions of individuals and their selfish interests with sole objective to prolong their political tenures, rather than national and economic interests of Pakistan. Today we are isolated in our own neighborhood and other than China, with whom we share mutual interest; there is hardly any other country in region, with whom our borders are secure.

For over 11 years under Zia, Pakistan’s foreign policy was dictated solely by US objectives in Afghanistan. The military junta in order to gain legitimacy plunged this country into a needless war. As soon as US national objectives were achieved Pakistan was left in lurch to face backlash of giving sanctuary to foreign mercenaries. The civil governments that succeeded failed to put our foreign policy back on track. This was followed by another 8 years under Musharraf, when Pakistan again was forced to get involved in pursuing US objectives in Afghanistan. Our misconceived notion of seeking strategic depth in Afghanistan has only brought misery and curse of terrorism to within our borders, with disastrous consequences to our national economy and security of lives and property of citizens, which is major constitutional obligation of a government.  The securitisation of our foreign policy has lead to isolation of this country.

Ali Malik Tariq

Lahore