Topic 6: International Relations of Pakistan
🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)
Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your exam.
Key Relationships:
| Country/Organization | Nature | Key Document |
|---|---|---|
| China | All-weather strategic partner | CPEC ($62bn) |
| United States | Complex relationship; fluctuating | US-Pakistan defense cooperation |
| India | Hostile; core dispute = Kashmir | Shimla Agreement (1972) |
| Afghanistan | Complicated; Durand Line dispute | 2021 Taliban takeover |
| SAARC | South Asian regional body | Pakistan founding member (1985) |
| OIC | Organization of Islamic Cooperation | Pakistan active member |
| UN | Pakistan founding member (1947) | Security Council non-permanent seat |
Kashmir Dispute at International Forums:
- UN Security Council: 13 resolutions passed (1948–57); none implemented
- OIC: Multiple resolutions supporting Kashmiri right to self-determination
- Human Rights Council: Passed resolutions on Kashmir human rights situation
⚡ Exam tip: Pakistan-China relations and CPEC are extremely high-yield for NABE. Also know that Pakistan is NOT a permanent member of the UN Security Council but has served as a non-permanent member multiple times.
🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)
Standard content for students with a few days to months.
Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Principles
Pakistan’s foreign policy rests on three foundational pillars:
- Islamic Identity: Unity with the Muslim world through OIC, bilateral relationships
- Strategic Depth: Maintaining relationships that provide strategic depth against India (Afghanistan, Central Asia)
- Geo-strategic Location: Corridor between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East
Pakistan–China Relations
Pakistan and China share an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership — one of the closest bilateral relationships in the world.
Historical Milestones:
- 1950: Pakistan recognized the People’s Republic of China (one of the first Muslim-majority countries to do so)
- 1963: border agreement (Karakoram and Kashmir regions) — the Sino-Pakistan Border Agreement
- 1965: China supported Pakistan during the Indo-Pak War
- 1971: China supported Pakistan during the Bangladesh War
- 1970s–90s: Defense cooperation; JF-17 Thunder fighter joint development program
- 2001: China supported Pakistan after 9/11; both countries cooperated in War on Terror
- 2015 onwards: CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) — flagship project
CPEC — China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
CPEC is a $62+ billion collection of infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects:
- Gwadar Deep-Water Port (Balochistan): Operational since 2016; built by China; key to Chinese access to the Indian Ocean (Chinese navy can use it)
- Karakoram Highway Phase II: Upgrading the historic KKH
- ML-1 Railway Upgrade: Main railway line from Karachi to Peshawar
- Energy Projects: ~10,000 MW of power projects (coal, hydro, solar)
- Special Economic Zones (SEZs): Industrial zones along CPEC route
Strategic Significance for China:
- Gwadar provides an alternative to the Malacca Strait (through which 80% of China’s oil imports pass)
- Shorter route to the Arabian Sea (reduces China’s dependency on the Malacca Strait)
Strategic Significance for Pakistan:
- Foreign investment and infrastructure development
- Employment generation
- Strategic counterweight to Indian regional influence
Pakistan–United States Relations
Pakistan-US relations have been characterized by deep cooperation punctuated by significant trust deficits.
Historical Phases:
Cold War Alliance (1950s–70s):
- SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) and CENTO (Central Treaty Organization) — Pakistan joined both
- US provided military aid to Pakistan as a bulwark against Soviet expansion
- Pakistan received F-86 Sabre jets, M-47/M-48 Patton tanks
Post-1971 Tilt Toward China (1970s):
- US tilted toward India after 1971; Pakistan was isolated
- US arms embargo (1971–90) after the Bangladesh War
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979–89) — The Crucial Phase:
- Pakistan was a Frontline State in the US-backed anti-Soviet Afghan resistance (Mujahideen)
- US provided ~$3 billion in military and economic aid through ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence)
- Pakistan trained and equipped Afghan fighters
- This alliance created the Taliban (as a Pakistani ISI-backed group to fill the post-Soviet Afghan vacuum)
Post-9/11 and War on Terror (2001–2021):
- Pakistan joined the US War on Terror (covertly and contestedly)
- US provided ~$33 billion in aid over 20 years (自称)
- Drone strikes by the CIA in FATA region; significant Pakistani public opposition
- US raid that killed Osama bin Laden (May 2011) in Abbottabad severely damaged trust
- Trump administration cut military aid (2018); suspended coalition support funds
- Biden administration maintained minimal contact
2021 onwards:
- US pivot to India (Indo-Pacific Strategy); diminishing Pakistan relevance
- No major US aid programs currently active
- Relationship largely transactional (counterterrorism)
SAARC — South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SAARC was founded on December 8, 1985 in Dhaka:
- Founding members (8): Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan (joined later in 2007)
- Pakistan’s proposal for SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area): Launched 2006
- Secretariat: Kathmandu, Nepal
Pakistan’s role: Founder and active member; hosted the 2004 SAARC summit in Islamabad
SAARC’s limitations: India-Pakistan tensions have paralyzed the organization; India-Pakistan disputes over Kashmir blocked progress; last summit held in 2016 (Nepal)
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization after the UN:
- Founded: 1969 (Rabat, Morocco) — after the Arab-Israeli conflict and burning need for Muslim collective action
- Pakistan’s role: Active founding and member state; hosted OIC foreign ministerial meeting in 1980 (Islamabad)
- Functions: Represents Muslim countries’ collective political voice; human rights, Jerusalem (Al-Quds) advocacy
- OIC Summits: 57 member states + observer organizations
- OIC Resolutions on Kashmir: Multiple resolutions supporting the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination
UN Membership and Pakistan’s Role
Pakistan joined the United Nations on September 30, 1947 — just weeks after independence.
UN Security Council Non-Permanent Membership (5 times):
- 1952–53: First term
- 1955–56
- 1958–59
- 1976–77
- 1984–85
Pakistan has never been a permanent member of the UN Security Council (the P5 are: USA, UK, Russia, China, France).
🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)
Comprehensive coverage for students on a longer study timeline.
Afghanistan and the Durand Line Issue
The Durand Line (1893) is the ~2,430 km border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, agreed between British India and Afghanistan under Sir Henry Mortimer Durand.
The Problem:
- Afghanistan does not recognize the Durand Line as an international border
- Afghanistan historically claimed the Pakistani areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan (Pashtun and Baloch populations)
- Afghanistan’s position is that these areas were never legitimately ceded by Afghanistan
- Since the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan, cross-border militancy (Taliban, Haqqani Network) has used Pakistani territory as sanctuary
Post-Taliban Takeover (August 2021):
- Pakistan’s relationship with the Afghan Taliban is complex — Taliban are allied with Pakistan against ISIS-K but tensions exist over border and TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) militants
- Pakistan’s fence construction (2021–23): Pakistan constructed a fence along the Durand Line, which Afghanistan opposed
- Afghan refugee issue: ~3 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan ( UNHCR); large economic and security burden
India-Pakistan Relations — The Core Issue
The Kashmir dispute defines all India-Pakistan relations:
- Shimla Agreement (1972): Both countries agreed that “the principle of settlement of differences… should be achieved by peaceful negotiated settlement” — bilateralism
- ** Lahore Declaration (1999):** Both countries agreed to “make sincere efforts to resolve all issues… through dialogue”
- Composite Dialogue Process: Multiple rounds; suspended indefinitely after the 2008 Mumbai attacks
- Track II Diplomacy: Unofficial dialogues between intellectuals and former officials
Pulwama/Balakot Crisis (2019):
- Pulwama Attack (February 14, 2019): Jaish-e-Mohammad car bomb killed 44 Indian CRPF personnel in Pulwama, Kashmir
- Balakot Airstrike (February 26, 2019): Indian Air Force crossed the LoC and struck what India claimed was a Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp
- Pakistani retaliation (February 27, 2019): Pakistan shot down an Indian MiG-21; captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman
- Both sides exercised restraint; managed through diplomatic channels
Nuclear Proliferation and Pakistan
Pakistan’s nuclear program:
- 1974: India’s “Smiling Buddha” nuclear test; Pakistan began its program under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- 1990s: Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan led uranium enrichment program at Kahuta (KRL — Khan Research Laboratories)
- 1998: Pakistan conducted successful nuclear tests (Chagai-I, Chagai-II) on May 28, 1998 — response to India’s nuclear tests
- 2003: Pakistan’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) established under the Pakistan Army’s Strategic Plans Division
Key Bilateral Relationships — Summary Table
| Country | Relationship | Key Issue |
|---|---|---|
| China | All-weather strategic partner | CPEC, Gwadar Port, JF-17 |
| USA | Fluctuating, transactional | War on Terror, F-16s, aid |
| India | Hostile | Kashmir, water, border |
| Afghanistan | Complicated | Durand Line, TTP |
| Iran | Cautious | Border, religious, trade |
| Turkey | Positive; cultural ties | Defense, trade |
| Saudi Arabia | Positive; financial support | Oil, Hajj, remittances |
| Russia | Warming since 2016 | Gas pipeline, defense |
| UK | Historical ties | Trade, diaspora, education |
International Agreements Important for NABE
| Agreement | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| SAARC Charter | 1985 | Regional cooperation framework |
| OIC Charter | 1972 | Islamic world organization |
| UN Charter | 1945 | Pakistan joined 1947 |
| Simla Agreement | 1972 | Bilateral Kashmir resolution |
| Tashkent Declaration | 1966 | Restored status quo post-1965 |
| Lahore Agreement | 1999 | Kargil de-escalation |
| CPEC Agreement | 2015 | China-Pakistan economic corridor |
⚡ Exam Pattern Insight: NABE questions frequently ask about the Shimla Agreement (1972) vs Lahore Declaration (1999) — their differences and their specific contexts. Also, the Durand Line issue is often tested in South Asian context questions.