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Default an overview of pakistan's foreign policy 1947-2004

Introduction
Major Phases of Pakistan's Foreign Policy
a. 1947-53: Exploration and Friendship with All
- Foundations of the Foreign Policy
- Relations with India
- Relations with Afghanistan
- Security Imperatives
- Relations with U.S.A. and U.S.S.R.
- Relations with Muslim Countries
b. 1953-62: Alignment with the West
- Alignment with the West
- Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement
- SEATO
- The Baghdad Pact / CENTO
- Defense and Economic Assistance from the U.S.
- Cost of Alignment with the West
- Relations with China
c. 1962-71: Transition
- Rethinking about the Alignment Policy
- Improving Relations with the Soviet Union
- Improving Relations with China
- Diminishing Ties with the U.S.
- Pluralistic Perspective
- Relations with India
- Crisis in East Pakistan and International Response
d. 1972-79: Bilateralism and Nonalignment
- Pak-India Relations: towards improvement
- Strengthening of Ties with Major Powers
- Nuclear Technology and Relations with the U.S.
- Pakistan and the Muslim World
e. 1980-90: Afghanistan and Partnership with the United States
- Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
- Revival of Pakistan-U.S. Relations
- Pakistan-China Relations
- Pakistan and the OIC
- Pakistan-India: a policy of Dialogues
- The Geneva Accords on Afghanistan
- Post-withdrawal Problems
f. 1990-2001: Post Cold War Era and Pakistan's Dilemmas
- Another Drift in Pak-US Relations
- Continuation of the Afghanistan Problem
- Insurgency in Kashmir
- Going Nuclear
g. 2001 Onwards: Counter Terrorism
- September 11 and Fight Against Terrorism
- Increased U.S. Support
- Détente with India
- Pakistan's Relations with China and Russia
- Muslim World and Pakistan
- Transfer of Nuclear Technology
Concluding Observations
Introduction:
Pakistan is a major participant in the global efforts to curb transnational terrorism initiated after the terrorist attacks in the United States in September 2001. This enhanced Pakistan's strategic relevance for the major powers, especially the United States, which cultivated Pakistan for combating terrorism and ensuring peace and stability in the post-Taliban Afghanistan. They also wanted that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda activists, formerly based in Afghanistan, did not create safe havens in Pakistani territory with the support of their Pakistani sympathizers. Pakistan has not always been so relevant to global politics. Its strategic relevance has varied over time which had implications for Pakistan's role at the international level and the foreign policy options available to its policy makers. This briefing paper examines the changing patterns of Pakistan's foreign policy and how its position and role in international and regional politics has varied over time. Pakistan recognizes that it is neither possible nor advisable to stay in isolation in the present day interdependent and complex international system. It needs to interact with other states, international and regional organizations and supranational actors in order to protect and promote its national interests and sovereign identity. Pakistan also collaborates with other states in order to cope with the issues of global dimensions like environment, population, poverty and underdevelopment, energy, human migrations and refugees, drugs, and terrorism. Despite pursuing a pro-active foreign policy Pakistan does not have the ambition and capacity to assume the role of a global or regional power. Its activism reflects a realization that such a policy facilities the mobilization of International support and resources for its domestic socio-economic development, helps to regulate the inputs from the external environment into the internal context, and contributes to strengthening security and territorial integrity which are the principal concerns of Pakistan's foreign policy. The major focus of Pakistan's foreign policy is security against external and internal challenges to its national identity, territorial integrity and independence. Another foreign policy interest is the cultivation of close and brotherly relations with the Muslim states. Pakistan highlights sovereign equality of states, bilateralism, mutuality of interests, and non-interference in each other's domestic affairs as the cardinal features of its foreign policy. Pakistan firmly believes that it has to work within the norms and institutions of the international system but it supports their restructuring for brining them in line with the realities currently obtaining in the International system. Pakistan, therefore, maintains a strong faith in the principles enunciated in the United Nations Charter and takes an active part in the deliberations of the UN and other International and regional organizations. Pakistan also identifies with the political and economic concerns of the developing countries. Other leading foreign policy goals include support to the right of self determination for the subjugated nations, oppositions to apartheid and the remnants of colonialism, peaceful resolution of inter-state disputes, arms control and nuclear non-proliferation, and promotion of peace and stability through international and regional cooperation. The principal strategies and mechanisms to pursue these foreign policy goals have varied over time. These changes help to identity the major phases in Pakistan's foreign policy. Though each phase is characterized by a set of major themes and operational strategies, these overlap and reflect continuity and change.
Major Phases of Pakistan's Foreign Policy
The major phases of Pakistan's foreign policy are:
a. 1947-53: Explorations and friendship with all
b. 1953-62: Alignment with the West
c. 1962-71: Transition
d. 1972-79: Bilateralism and nonalignment
e. 1980-90: Afghanistan and Partnership with the U.S.
f. 1990-2001: Post-Cold War Era and Pakistan's Dilemmas
g. 2001 onwards: Pakistan and Counter Terrorism
1947-53: Exploration and Friendship with All
Foundations of the Foreign Policy
Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and its first Governor-General, gave two special talks on radio to introduce Pakistan to the people of the United States and Australia. He expressed a strong desire to develop friendly ties with other states on the eve of his meeting with the special representative of the King of Afghanistan in December 1947. Similar views were expressed when the first ambassadors of Burma (January 1948), France (January 1948), the United States (February 1948), Turkey (March 1948) and Afghanistan (May 1948) presented their credentials. Outlining the goals of foreign policy, Jinnah declared:
“Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and goodwill towards the nations of the world. We do not cherish aggressive designs against any country or nation. We believe in the principle 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 peoples of the world, and in upholding the principles of the United Nations
Charter.” Pakistan joined the United Nations on September 30 1947, as a new member and stayed in the Commonwealth. Its leadership established contacts with other states, emphasizing friendship with all, promotion of peace and harmony, support for liberation of the colonized people, and a strict observance of the principles of international conduct as enshrined in the UN Charter.
Relations with India
The early years of independence were dominated by Pakistan's problems with India on the one hand, and the efforts to introduce the new state to the world community on the other. The problems it developed with India in the immediate aftermath of independence left an indelible impact on its foreign policy and built hostility and distrust into Pakistan-India relations. Most of these problems were the product of the partition process, as set out in the 3rd June 1947 Plan and the Indian Independence Act, July 1947. These included, interalia, the division of the funds and other assets of the British Indian government, including arms, equipment and stores of the British Indian military; the large scale killing of people at the time of independence and the subsequent communal riots; the religious minorities in the two states; the disposal of evacuee property; the river-water dispute; and bilateral trade. These disputes were coupled with controversies about the accession of the princely states of Junagadh, Hyderabad, and Jammu and Kashmir, and the outbreak of the first Kashmir war (1947-48). The ill-will generated by these problems was reinforced by the concentration of Indian troops on the border in the Punjab in 1950-51, when an armed conflict was narrowly averted. On top of this were the statements of a number of Indian leaders, including those belonging to the ruling Congress party, regretting the establishment of Pakistan; some even talked about the reunification of India and Pakistan. Pakistan’s security concerns were Afghanistan's irredentist claims on Pakistani territory. Refusing to recognize Pakistan's sovereignty over North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan, the Afghanistan government made divergent claims on these provinces, which ranged from a demand for the right of self-determination for Pushtuns/Pathans living in Pakistan and establishment of an independent state comprising NWFP,and Baluchistan, to the incorporation of parts of these, provinces into Afghanistan. India endorsed Afghanistan’s, irredentist claims on Pakistan, and, in the mid-1950s, the, Soviet Union extended a similar support to Afghanistan in
Relations with Afghanistan
What compounded Pakistan's security concerns were Afghanistan's irredentist claims on Pakistani territory. Refusing to recognize Pakistan's sovereignty over North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan, the Afghanistan government made divergent claims on these provinces, which ranged from a demand for the right of self determination for Pushtuns/Pathans living in Pakistan and establishment of an independent state comprising NWFP and Baluchistan, to the incorporation of parts of these provinces into Afghanistan. India endorsed Afghanistan's irredentist claims on Pakistan, and, in the mid-1950s, the Soviet Union extended a similar support to Afghanistan in retaliation to Pakistan's participation in U.S. sponsored defense pacts. Pakistan’s policy makers felt threatened by the specter of Soviet backed Indo-Afghan military pressure, if not a full-fledged attack on its western and eastern borders. The security against such potential threats emerged as the cardinal concern of Pakistan. The security imperatives led the policy makers to pay special attention to the reorganization of the armed forces that Pakistan inherited after the division of the British Indian military. Almost all units of the armed forces were regrouped and a new organizational and administrative network had to be created for them. Pakistan purchased some weapons and military equipment from a number of Western states for modernization of the three services of the armed forces. British officers were retained and some Pakistani officers were sent to Great Britain and other Commonwealth states for training. However, the pace of modernization was rather slow until Pakistan joined the West-sponsored security pacts in 1954-55. Retaliation to Pakistan's participation in U.S. sponsored defense pacts. Pakistan's policy makers felt threatened by the specter of Soviet backed Indo-Afghan military pressure, if not a full-fledged attack on its western and eastern borders. The security against such potential threats emerged as the cardinal concern of Pakistan.
Security Imperatives
The security imperatives led the policy makers to pay special attention to the reorganization of the armed forces that Pakistan inherited after the division of the British Indian military. Almost all units of the armed forces were regrouped and a new organizational and administrative network had to be created for them. Pakistan purchased some weapons and military equipment from a number of Western states for modernization of the three services of the armed forces. British officers were retained and some Pakistani officers were sent to Great Britain and other Commonwealth states for training. However, the pace of modernization was rather slow until Pakistan joined the
West-sponsored security pacts in 1954-55.
Relations with U.S.A. and USSR
Pakistan started with an independent foreign policy and cultivated relations with the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. The United States felicitated the establishment of Pakistan and the ambassadorial level relations were resumed in February 1948. The Soviet attitude towards the establishment of Pakistan was indifferent. Though Pakistan and the Soviet Union agreed to establish diplomatic relations in April 1948, it was not until December 1949 that Pakistan's first ambassador resumed his assignment in Moscow. The Soviet ambassador took up his position in Karachi in March 1950. Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognize the People's Republic of China in the first week of January 1950. The ambassadors of China and Pakistan presented their credentials in September and November 1951 respectively. An opportunity to change Soviet indifference knocked in June 1949, when the Soviet Union invited Pakistan's first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, for an official visit. The invitation was accepted but the visit did not materialize. Instead, Liaquat Ali Khan visited the United States in May 1950, and his speeches and statements during this visit manifested a strong pro-West disposition of the Pakistan government. The Soviet leadership was unhappy over Liaquat Ali Khan's decision not to visit the Soviet Union. Pakistan started with an independent foreign policy and cultivated relations with the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. The United States felicitated the establishment of Pakistan and the ambassadorial level relations were resumed in February 1948. The Soviet attitude towards the establishment of Pakistan was indifferent. Though Pakistan and the Soviet Union agreed to establish diplomatic relations in April 1948, it was not until December 1949 that Pakistan's first ambassador resumed his assignment in Moscow. The Soviet ambassador took up his position in Karachi in March 1950. Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognize the People's Republic of China in the first week of January 1950. The ambassadors of China and Pakistan presented their credentials in September and
November 1951 respectively. An opportunity to change Soviet indifference knocked in June 1949, when the Soviet Union invited Pakistan's first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, for an official visit. The invitation was accepted but the visit did not materialize. Instead, Liaquat Ali Khan visited the United States in May 1950, and his speeches and statements during this visit manifested a strong pro-West disposition of the Pakistan government. The Soviet leadership was unhappy over Liaquat Ali Khan's decision not to visit the Soviet Union.
Relations with Muslim Countries
Pakistan attached importance to its relations with the Muslims countries. It actively championed the cause of the Muslims all over the world and worked towards promoting harmony and cooperation amongst the Muslim states. It sponsored several unofficial conferences for cultivating a broad-based consensus on setting up an organization representing all Muslim states. The leaders of most Muslim states did not show interest in establishing an international forum of the Muslim states. Some Muslim states ignored Pakistan's initiative; other extended a cautious approval; still others did not favour the idea. Indonesia and Egypt had strong reservations about Pakistan's efforts to promote unity in the Muslim world. Afghanistan was also not prepared to endorse Pakistan's efforts. Pakistani leadership was disappointed by the response of the Muslim leaders. Pakistan was, however, able to cultivate very cordial relations with Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. With other Muslim relations, Pakistan's relations could be described as a routine relationship.
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