Regional isolation

The terrors of regional isolation haunt Pakistan and have tarnished its image in the comity of nations. Pakistan erred on two foreign policy fronts. First, the search for external means to solve internal problems paved the way for poor governance, lack of scientific, impassioned analysis of domestic configurations and economic slump. Second, the pursuit of foreign policy goals while failing to foresee their domestic repercussions is another quagmire.

Regionally, China has territorial disputes with the 14nations it shares a border with but the booming trade volume and diplomatic engagement with these countries is enviable. In the wake of India’s all-out attempt to foil the 19th Saarc conference in Islamabad, the blatant boycott by immediate neighbours is disturbing. Pakistan supported Sri Lanka in the fight against the Tamil Tigers militarily and financially, but now in the wake of Pakistan’s existential crisis India and Sri Lanka have improved their diplomatic ties. China and India harbour intense regional rivalry but the trade volume is to the amount of $75 billion while trade between India and Pakistan stands at $4 billion. With Afghanistan, China shares the 210 km border known as the Wakhan Corridor. China has a non-intervention policy against the Afghan Taliban and supports dialogue and investment. While China managed to ward off the Uyghurs, Pakistan didn’t reach out to all political stakeholders in Afghanistan and even supported the Taliban once. This ill-fated move resulted in ethnic and religious terrorism on our own soil. It’s time to make viable policy options to come out of the decades-long inertia we have been in.

Saeed Ullah Khan Wazir

Islamabad