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‘Pakistan has become isolated and needs to change its foreign policy’
ISLAMABAD: During a seminar on Tuesday, senior journalist Zahid Hussein said Pakistan is lagging behind economically and has become isolated which is why there is a need for re-examining the country’s foreign policy. However, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi disagreed with Mr Hussein’s observation and said the current foreign policy is relevant to the needs at the time.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Is Pakistan Isolated? Regional Challenges and Opportunities’, which was hosted by the Institute for Policy Reforms (IPR), Mr Hussein said Pakistan has to change its course and gave the examples of India and China, saying the two countries have progressed and that they have focused on their economies.
“The current government has made policies for economic development, but they are yet to be implemented because Pakistan’s foreign policy is driven by national security. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor could be a game changer,” he said.
PM’s adviser disagrees,says foreign policy drafted according to needs of the country
The journalist said Pakistan’s economic growth rate has been 3pc for the last 10 years and compared this with that of India the economy of which has been growing by 8pc, while China’s economic growth rate has been 7pc over the same time.
“Pakistan has been left far behind, even by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,” he said.
To this, Mr Fatemi said no foreign policy can be called a complete success or failure.
“The PML-N’s manifesto said that the foreign policy will focus on the economy. We have tried to have good relations with Afghanistan because we believe there will be no peace in Pakistan until there is peace in Afghanistan,” he said.
He added that a project of building a motorway from Peshawar to Central Asia is underway and that another motorway will be established between Peshawar and Chabahar. He said relations with Iran are also being focused on as the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project is also important.
He said Pakistan wants good relations with India and that the PML-N led government wanted to resume relations from how they were in 1999. However, he said, the sentiment has to be reciprocal for this to work.
“We have good relations with Arab countries and 100,000 Pakistanis will be sent to Qatar for employment. As far as the Nuclear Supplier Group is concerned, Pakistan has been working on this for months and though the application was given at the last moment, 11 countries supported Pakistan. This was all because of diplomacy,” he said.
He added that for the first time, Pakistan has an agreement for buying sophisticated weapons from Russia.
Also speaking at the event was eminent historian and author of ‘Pakistan, a Hard Country’, Prof Anatol Lieven who said the breakdown of Afghan peace talks has increased US animus and that during his visit to Washington, he heard questions about the justification of Pakistan’s position in the Afghan peace talks.
He said that though US hostility has increased, China continues to support Pakistan and warned that this support must not be taken as a carte blanche.
“No country wants Pakistan to cross the line between sheltering the Afghan Taliban and arming them. Pakistan will forfeit all goodwill if this were to happen. It is desirable to revive the peace talks,” he said.
Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2016
Comments (50) Closed
Alarming situation for pakistan, pakistan should extend friendship hands to russia
He is wrong, we are most friendly and powerful nation and if we just shout once, at least 100 countries line up to support us.
There are many sane voices within Pakistan, please listen to them
Doubtful it will ever change, and even if it changes, the policy will remain same, but a different tactics.
at least for the first time we are able to look into ourself. now how do we correct
It is too late now.
48-11 = 37 countries did not support NSG membership, is this not because of diplomacy ?
Pakistan had the support of 11 countries at NSG?
Correct observation. A good foreign Minister can improve things by leaps and bounds. Nawaz Sharif should be supported by a young generation person having different and positive approach.
I agree with Fatimi sahab. Pakistan is playing fair and looking after its interests, just like every other country around.
I second the headline the foreign policy of Pakistan should not be based on hostility and reactive based
only good in wrong things..
100% Correct.
11 countries supported Pakistan in NSG ? , Pak membership was not even discussed !. Does he count countries that had reservations in India's membership as a support to Pakistan ?, Pak had only China and Turkey supporting , long way to go.....
@AHA Not really, are you in dreams? What can offer the world? No body bothers about your nuclear weapons.
@AHA Nice Sarcastic comment. Kudos
We defeated Russia and now Russia is our friend ready to stand by us . Is this now diplomacy at it's best ?
@AHA : Even in NSG only 11 supported us out of 48... where we will get 100?
@Lotif Who defeated Soviet Union (Ruassia)? Afghans defeated Russia with giving their lives, not you. Remember 9300 military personnel surrounded to whom in 1971?
@guon They won't help u.
Policy makers & rulers who are actually in control if they're different then development always takes a back seat.
@citizen 11 actually opposed India in her NSG bid. Does that mean they supported Pakistan.
Pakistan has to fight on a number of fronts, both internal and external. At this moment unity of the nation is very crucial. The economy of a country is greatly dependent on internal security. Moreover, energy is the biggest hurdle in our development. If democracy is given a free hand, the country can tackle all these issues within a limited period of time. However, we should wish best for our country and not get frustrated. Hope for the good time to come soon.
And what about a full time FM to execute the strands of Foreign Policy????what is the way forward .....no one tells
@Ayub Agree. Pakistan needs full attention to its internal affairs by its administrators and leaders at all levels. Apparently enemies have been successful in creating a chaotic situation in the country which has resulted in economic stagnation. Without dedicated and focused attention to solve internal issues and put house in order, its not possible to put up a brave front of foreign policies to international community. Weakness of internal situations translates to 'compromises' and 'lack of assertiveness' in foreign relations. Only an internally cohesive and strong nation can effectively deal with foreign relation challenges, specially with hostile countries.
Peshawar to Central Asia motorway. Who would travel on this road. The potential traveller have been forced to take another, albeit long road. Yes, Pak should have focused on economics with neighbors. Other irritants would fall in place itself. How much we would have benifitted by building CPEC for China & giving India access to Afghanistan . We could have, and still have time to become the lifeline for India & China growth. And must avoid becoming another turf for wrestling of regional powers.
In the seminar whether the army was represented? Report is silent about it. in case the army chose to remain absent the matter ends . No more step .
There in nothing wrong with our foreign policy. We should focus on fighting the evil and purify ourself to become Good Pakistanis.
"... 11 countries supported Pakistan. (on NSG)..."
Which are the other ten?
@guon The Russians have not forgotten the Afghan war, which it fought with Taliban, US and Pakistan. Russia lost 14,500 soldiers.
@Lotif Its not we, its the Stinger missile, given by United States, made the Russian loose.
Considering the efforts exerted by the Indians, it's commendable that Pakistan is far from isolated....
Pakistan is not progressing because of its wrong policies against Afghanistan and India.
How they came to know that 11 countries supported Pakistan at NSG, Their application was not even discussed.
Don't worry guys, nothing is going to change. Relax.
@Speen its 97000.
Pakistan has only one window to the world and that is China
Pakistan must get very close to Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Russia Immediately... and multiply its relations with China many folds...China must do much more for Pakistan because we are paying a price for them and once this CPEC is complete China will benefit the most...Pakistan should get more from China with security guarantees...
The PM has no foreign policy it has bee given to the FO as there is no foreign minister only an adviser this make it very difficultto formulate a policy. The logic of the present government witout a minister is totaly wrong.
@SAEED MASOOD Exactly!Moreover, Pakistan should be given more emphasize on building its peaceful neighborly relations with Iran, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh and other countries as well.Having with a sound economic development, a country can boast of its own healthy and wealthy image to the world community. Does your only Nuclear Weaponry help you to make that image without peace and prosperity?
Pakistan is exactly where Israel wants it through USA and allies including India.
@guon Dear Mr. or Ms. guon. You have expressed a nice sentiment, but do you think Russia would prefer Pakistan's hand of friendship to India's?
Why talk about foreign policy when the country does not even have a foreign minister.
I was reading the comments and was surprised to note that no one is taking of Prof Anatol Lieven's observations/warnings:
(1) that he heard questions (in the US) about the justification of Pakistan’s position in the Afghan peace talks, and
(2) that he warned that China's support must not be taken as a carte blanche.
My advice to Pakistani readers: Get real. And get over this "Iron Brother" cliche. Ground realities change overnight...
The bureaucracy and establishment has failed Pakistan first and then by inept politicians. Yet we never learn from past mistakes.
Bring back Kasuri as your Foreign Minis ter. Things are sure to improve. Edgar
Pakistan now should look around the world and see who is willing to buy their soul for their own purposes.
Yes, agreement to buy weapons from Russia but it will not be subsidised. Where is the money coming from?
@Sunil if stinger missile was the only reason then US wouldn't have asked for pakistans help. .FYI US has admitted on several fronts about Pakistan playing a key role in Soviet defeat...
Pakistan should continue to develop it's military strength and become a stronger security state and ensure the civilians have an ideal father figure to look up to in the form of strong upright generals etc. It's youth need such strong figures to dwell on and improve their lives as against becoming decadent handmaidens of decadent neighbours or west. We completely hope this will be the future of pakistan. Long Live defence sovereignity in Pakistan.