Dr Qaisar Rashid<\/p>\n
For a developing country such as Pakistan, the academic definition of the foreign policy \u2013 a country\u2019s internal dynamics dictate the contours of its external dealings \u2013 has submitted to the contrary delineation. That is, factors external to Pakistan shape its internal (domestic) policy.
\nThe year 2025 remained eventful. The rise of Donald Trump in the United States (US) signified the inclination of the developed world, which has grown wary of economic challenges. Riding the tide of the right wing white supremacy, Trump emerged electorally triumphant only when he promised his voters to reduce government expenditures \u2013 both internal and external \u2013 and adopt protectionist (economic) policies, if he entered the White House again. Trump started delivering on his promise. Pakistan bore the brunt. Owing to its overreliance, Pakistan became a victim of the change taking over the US. Despite all attempts to ensconce itself in the good books of the US, Pakistan could not reopen the traditional pipeline of US aid. The hindrance solidified. Consequently, Pakistan had to beg international financial institutions for loans to prop up its economy \u2013 to save itself from plunging into a sovereign default.
\nIn August 2021, the US left Afghanistan, letting Pakistan deal with Afghanistan on its own. This is neo-Afghanistan because the ruling Taliban regime is deaf to Pakistan\u2019s entreaties to control militants attacking from across the border. The neo-Afghanistan is also tolerant of the Baloch militants launching an insurgency. Both western provinces (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan) have gone restive, causing a double whammy: first, frustrating Pakistan\u2019s dream to grow agriculture for export and dig mines for exploring rare earth minerals; and second, leaving little space for foreign investment in the country.
\nCurrently, Pakistan has been introducing this and that structural reforms to appease the International Monetary Fund to ensure a sustained supply of loans in dollars. Though most of these reforms are not politically expedient, an irresistible change is bound to take over the country. The recently released document called \u201cPakistan: Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Report\u201d speaks volumes for the internal changes Pakistan has to introduce to secure loans. This simply means that, with each tranche, whether liked or not, Pakistan has to change itself internally.
\nBesides the factors mentioned in the diagnostic report, a problem lies with Pakistan\u2019s memory, predicated on how to survive. Pakistan was born in the era of the Cold War (1946-1991), which kept Pakistan oblivious of the need for economic management. Spending more than earnings remained a hallmark, introducing the malady of economic mismanagement. During the Cold War, the financial gap called the budget deficit was filled up by those countries which needed Pakistan on their ideological side, touting capitalism-cum-democracy. In the initial few decades, with the help of the World Bank, Pakistan followed the policy of a planned economic growth (as five-year plans), which worked well in its favour. Compared to that, the current five-year economic plan (2024-2029) called the \u201cUraan Pakistan\u201d to achieve sustainable GDP growth (targeting 6% by 2028), boost exports to $60 billion and transform into a $1 trillion economy by 2035 is a tall order. From May 7 to 11, the limited war between Pakistan and India brought another strain on Pakistan\u2019s economy, with the need for more spending and better preparedness in the future, thereby bringing the economy under stress.
\nThough \u201cUraan Pakistan\u201d foresees the country\u2019s future in export-led growth, ground realities such as high fuel and electricity prices are discouraging for the take-off of the small-scale industry. People prefer to invest in real estate rather than in manufacturing export-oriented goods. Unless the parking of money in the real estate (especially be-nami sale and purchase) is discouraged (though the law is there), neither the black economy would be reduced in size nor would finances be diverted to export-oriented ventures. The Inland Revenue Department has to conduct surveys of the real estate sectors to find out properties which are kept against somebody else\u2019s name (be-nami) to avoid taxation. Unless the tax net is broadened to make every earning head contribute judiciously, the economy cannot stand on its feet.
\nPakistan\u2019s overreliance on its expatriates to send remittances also faced a setback in the Global North, which considered its economic problems (depicted in soaring prices of commodities and rising unemployment) lie in foreign workers who somehow got entry into the system to snatch low-lying local jobs and who tended to funnel money back to their ancestral homelands. Europe, the United Kingdom (UK) and the US have forged an undeclared consensus on discouraging and reversing the tides of immigration, especially from non-white races of the world. Human rights for seeking asylum are being redefined, and rules for immigrants\u2019 working are being rewritten. Nevertheless, the concern of the European Union is seeing democracy and human rights flourish, if Pakistan were to enjoy a special status for exporting its products to the members of the union.
\nBeing more conscious, the UK is heading for data centralisation to have better control over the inflow and outflow of the traffic of both humans and goods. The biometric passport (or e-passport having an electronic chip embedded in it) is underway. Other countries of the Global North would follow suit. <\/p>\n
This simply means that the age of the notorious \u201cdunkey phenomenon\u201d employed by semi-skilled and semi-literate Pakistanis to reach the shores of Europe to build their lives is tapering off. Soon, air flights full of failed immigrants are also expected. Pakistan now has enough universities to disseminate education and distribute degrees. Pakistan should now focus on developing and spreading the network of vocational institutes, which could produce skilled labour. Nevertheless, the future lies in learning and applying artificial intelligence, whether the field is the army, police or the services sector.
\nIn short, the force of external drivers has outgrown the dynamism of internal factors to dictate the foreign policy. Today, Pakistan\u2019s foreign policy is reduced to reading carefully what other countries expect Pakistan to do internally to be acceptable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dr Qaisar Rashid For a developing country such as Pakistan, the academic definition of the foreign policy \u2013 a country\u2019s internal dynamics dictate the contours of its external dealings \u2013 has submitted to the contrary delineation. That is, factors external to Pakistan shape its internal (domestic) policy. The year 2025 remained eventful. The rise of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[1683],"class_list":{"0":"post-519137","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-dr-qaisar-rashid"},"yoast_head":"\n