Pakistan is not short of diplomatic relationships. It has longstanding ties with China, a deep relationship with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, working relations with the United States, and direct links with Iran and Afghanistan.
What Pakistan needs now is not simply more diplomatic engagement. It needs a clearer way to turn these relationships into stability, economic opportunity and greater confidence in its foreign policy.
This is an important moment for Islamabad. Regional tensions are creating new diplomatic pressures, while global powers are reassessing their priorities and partnerships. Pakistan has recently sought to play a constructive role in easing tensions between Washington and Tehran.
At the same time, it is strengthening defense cooperation with regional partners, advancing its strategic relationship with China and managing difficult relations with Afghanistan. These developments show that Pakistan is trying to remain engaged on several fronts. The question is whether it can do so without losing balance or allowing external rivalries to define its choices.
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Pakistan’s engagement around the United States–Iran tensions deserves attention. Its geographic position, relationship with Tehran and working relationship with Washington give it channels that not every country can offer. The country can use these connections to encourage communication at a time when direct engagement is difficult.
The Foreign Office’s statements on continued dialogue and a peaceful settlement indicate that Islamabad wants to be seen as part of the diplomatic solution.
However, facilitating dialogue is different from delivering an agreement. A mediator must be trusted by the parties, careful in its public messaging and consistent in its approach. Pakistan should therefore avoid presenting every diplomatic contact as a breakthrough.
Its strongest contribution may be quieter: keeping communication open, reducing misunderstanding and supporting a process in which the parties themselves make the necessary decisions.
There is also a practical reason for Pakistan to support de-escalation. A wider conflict involving Iran would have serious implications for regional trade, energy supplies, border security and the stability of the Gulf. Pakistan would face these consequences directly. A policy that favors dialogue is therefore not only a statement of principle; it is also in Pakistan’s national interest.
Partnerships must not become competing obligations
Pakistan’s expanding defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is another significant development. Recent reporting on the trilateral Mecca Joint Defense Agreement points to closer coordination among the three countries. Such cooperation may create opportunities in defense production, training, intelligence sharing and strategic consultation.
For Pakistan, it also reflects the importance of maintaining strong relationships with partners that have political, economic and security influence across the region.
The Pakistan–China joint statement of May 2026 reaffirmed cooperation in areas including industrial development, agriculture and connectivity. These priorities are important, but their success should be measured by what changes on the ground.
But partnerships should strengthen Pakistan’s room for maneuver, not reduce it. Islamabad must be clear about the scope of its commitments and ensure that new arrangements do not undermine its relations with other neighboring countries.
This is particularly important in a region where tensions can quickly overlap. Pakistan’s diplomatic strength will depend on its ability to cooperate closely with one partner while maintaining a workable relationship with another.
The same principle applies to Pakistan’s relationship with China. China remains a key strategic and economic partner, and the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor offers an opportunity to move beyond infrastructure development toward industrial growth, investment, technology and employment.
For ordinary Pakistanis, the value of CPEC and other international partnerships will be visible in jobs, stronger local businesses, better connectivity, export opportunities and improved skills. Announcements and agreements matter, but implementation matters more.
Pakistan needs transparent project processes, predictable policies, effective security arrangements and stronger participation by local businesses and communities. Without these conditions, even a promising strategic partnership can fall short of its economic potential.
Afghanistan remains a test of practical diplomacy
Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan remains one of the most difficult parts of its regional policy. Islamabad has repeatedly raised concerns about attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the use of Afghan territory by armed groups. The Afghan authorities reject Pakistan’s allegations and have their own concerns. The result is a relationship marked by mistrust, border tensions and disruption to trade and movement
.A policy discussion by the Center for Research and Security Studies has also highlighted the wider consequences of the strained relationship. Pakistan has a clear responsibility to protect its people and territory. No government can ignore attacks on its citizens or treat cross-border militancy as a routine diplomatic disagreement.
At the same time, a policy based only on border closures, public statements and pressure is unlikely to produce lasting security. These measures can also affect traders, transporters, families and communities that depend on cross-border movement.
A more sustainable approach would combine firm security requirements with continuous diplomatic engagement. Pakistan should seek practical, verifiable arrangements on border management and militant activity, while keeping channels open for trade and humanitarian issues.
Any mechanism must be realistic, monitored and acceptable to the parties involved. The objective should not be dialogue for its own sake, but a reduction in violence and a relationship in which both countries have clear responsibilities.
Foreign policy should deliver economic value
In my view, the most important measure of Pakistan’s foreign policy should be its contribution to the country’s economic and human development. Diplomatic relationships cannot be judged only by the number of high-level visits, joint statements or agreements signed.
They should also be assessed by whether they help Pakistan attract investment, expand exports, improve energy security, develop skills and create opportunities for its people.
This requires closer coordination between foreign policy and domestic economic planning. Pakistani missions abroad should have a stronger role in identifying investment opportunities, supporting exporters and connecting local companies with international markets.
Agreements should be followed by implementation plans, responsible institutions and measurable outcomes. Continuity in policy is equally important. Businesses and international partners need confidence that commitments will survive changes in political leadership.
My professional experience in the humanitarian and development sector has reinforced one basic lesson: policies are meaningful when they improve people’s lives. The same principle should guide economic diplomacy. Regional connectivity, trade and investment are not abstract foreign policy objectives.
They can affect household incomes, employment, access to services and the resilience of communities. Pakistan’s external relationships should therefore be linked more directly to its development priorities.
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Pakistan does not need to choose between China and the United States, or between its Gulf partnerships and its relationship with Iran. Nor can it afford to treat Afghanistan only through a security lens. Its interests are better served by maintaining constructive relations wherever possible, being firm on core security concerns and avoiding unnecessary involvement in rivalries that do not serve its national priorities.
This approach requires three things: strategic consistency, credible diplomacy and stronger domestic foundations. Strategic consistency means explaining Pakistan’s priorities clearly and applying them across relationships. Credible diplomacy means using dialogue carefully, honoring commitments and avoiding claims that go beyond what has actually been achieved.
Strong domestic foundations mean improving economic governance, institutional coordination and the security environment so that diplomatic opportunities can translate into practical gains.
Pakistan has the geography, relationships and diplomatic experience to make a constructive contribution to regional stability. But influence is not measured by how many sides a country can engage at once. It is measured by whether those relationships help reduce tensions, protect national interests and create tangible benefits for its people. The real test of Pakistan’s foreign policy is not how visible it is abroad, but what it delivers at home.
*The views presented in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Diplomatic Insight.*
Kifayat Ullah Mohmand
Kifayat Ullah Mohmand is a Pakistan-based development and international affairs professional with more than 11 years of experience in humanitarian and development programming, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, and program reporting. He can be reached at [email protected]