Book Review: Pakistan’s Foreign Policy by Abdul Sattar

Brief Review

The book “Pakistan’s Foreign Policy by Abdul Sattar” is an in-depth analysis of Pakistan’s foreign policy since it began in 1947. The book goes into detail about the factors that have shaped Pakistan’s foreign policy over the years and how it has changed in response to changes in the global geopolitical landscape.

Abdul Sattar is an experienced diplomat who has been Pakistan’s foreign minister and ambassador to a number of countries. He knows a lot about the subject because he has been doing it for a long time. This helps us understand how hard Pakistan’s foreign policy is and how often it goes against itself.

There are 15 chapters in the book, and each one is about a different part of Pakistan’s foreign policy. In the first few chapters, the author gives an overview of Pakistan’s foreign policy, including its history, the problems it faces, and the main people who have a say in how it is made. The author then analyzes Pakistan’s relationships with India, Afghanistan, and Iran, which are its neighbors. He also looks at how big countries like the U.S., China, and Russia get along with Pakistan.

One of the best things about the book is how much it talks about how Pakistan’s foreign policy has been affected by things that have happened at home. The author says that Pakistan’s foreign policy is shaped by its history, geography, economy, culture, and politics, among other things. He also looks at how Pakistan’s military has shaped its foreign policy and how this has affected the strategic culture of the country. The military has had a significant influence in determining Pakistan’s foreign policy, notably in the fields of national security and defence, according to Sattar’s in-depth research on the subject. He also emphasises how crucial political parties and civil society organisations are in influencing public opinion and foreign policy choices.

The book also gives a detailed analysis of some of the most important things that have shaped Pakistan’s foreign policy over the years, such as its nuclear program, the war on terror, and its relationship with India. The author looks at these issues from many different points of view to show how complicated and contradictory they are.

Chapter-Wise Book Review of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy by Abdul Sattar

Chapter 1: Introduction

The first chapter gives an overview of the whole book and sets up the analysis that comes next. The author talks about how important it is to know Pakistan’s history, geography, economy, culture, and politics in order to understand its foreign policy. He also talks about the problems Pakistan has in international politics and how its foreign policy has changed over time.

Chapter 2: Historical Background

Starting with Pakistan’s founding in 1947, this chapter shows how its foreign policy has been shaped by its history. The author talks about how Pakistan’s early foreign policy was affected by things like its tense relationship with India, its ties with the US and other Western powers, and its attempts to stay neutral during the Cold War.

Chapter 3: The Actors in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy

In this chapter, the author analyzes the different groups that influence Pakistan’s foreign policy. These groups include the government, the military, civil society, the media, and so on. He also looks at how different personalities affect policy decisions and how this has changed the country’s strategic culture.

Chapter 4: Pakistan’s Neighbors: India and Afghanistan

In the fourth chapter, India and Afghanistan, which are Pakistan’s neighbours, are talked about. The author gives a detailed analysis on how complicated and sometimes tense these relationships are, pointing out the many things that have led to problems between the two countries.

Chapter 5: Iran and the Gulf

This chapter takes a glance at Pakistan’s relationships with Iran and the Gulf countries, like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The author talks about the things that have changed these relationships over time, like the difference between Sunnis and Shias, Pakistan’s relationship with the U.S., and its economic and strategic interests in the area.

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Chapter 6: The United States and the West

This chapter thoroughly explores how Pakistan works with the US and other Western countries. The author studies how Pakistan’s role in the war on terror, its nuclear program, and its economic and strategic interests have affected this relationship.

Chapter 7: China and Russia

In the seventh chapter, the relationship between Pakistan and China and Russia is the main topic. The author looks at where these relationships came from in the past and how they have changed over time. He also looks at how these relationships affect Pakistan’s foreign policy from a strategic and economic point of view.

Chapter 8: International Organizations

This chapter gives an overview of Pakistan’s involvement in international groups like the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The author looks at why Pakistan joined these organisations and what problems it faces as part of the global multilateral system.

Chapter 9: Non-State Actors

In this chapter, the author identifies how militant groups, civil society groups, and the media, among other non-state actors, shape Pakistan’s foreign policy. He looks at how these groups make it hard for the government to make and carry out a coherent foreign policy.

Chapter 10: Nuclear Program

In the tenth chapter, a detailed analysis of Pakistan’s nuclear program and how it has changed the country’s foreign policy is given. The author scrutinizes the history of the program, the problems Pakistan has had as it has grown, and what that means for security in the region and around the world.

Chapter 11: The War on Terror

This chapter is about Pakistan’s role in the war on terror and how that has affected its foreign policy. The author goes into detail about Pakistan’s relationship with the U.S. and the problems it has had trying to balance its domestic and international goals.

Chapter 12: India-Pakistan Relations

The relationship between India and Pakistan, as well as the problems that come with it, are looked at in depth in the twelfth chapter.

Conclusion

The Book Pakistan’s Foreign Policy by Abdul Sattar gives a thorough and in-depth analysis of  Pakistan’s foreign policy, focusing on the different things that have shaped its strategic culture and the problems it faces in the world of international politics.

In this book, Sattar tells that decisions Pakistan has made in terms of its foreign policy are thoroughly examined, along with the causes that have influenced those decisions.

The book emphasises the significance of rational factors, such as national interests, strategic considerations, and economic rewards, in determining Pakistan’s foreign policy, one hand. The book, for instance, demonstrates how Pakistan’s decision to ally with the United States following the 9/11 attacks was motivated by practical factors, such as the requirement to obtain financial and military support to combat terrorism.

Nonetheless, the book also emphasises how emotional considerations play a part in determining Pakistan’s foreign policy choices. For instance, the book discusses how national pride, historical resentments, and emotional variables like religion and cultural identity have all had an impact on Pakistan’s relationship with India. The book contends, in a similar vein, that Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan has been shaped by emotional considerations, such as the notion of Afghanistan as a strategic deterrent to India.

Ultimately, the book makes the case that Pakistan’s foreign policy actions have been influenced by both rational and irrational considerations. Even though decision-makers have tried to be logical and practical in their approach, emotional elements cannot be disregarded in the complicated and frequently tense arena of international relations.

To Cap it all, “Pakistan’s Foreign Policy by Abdul Sattar” is a good book for anyone who wants to learn about Pakistan’s place in the world’s politics and the things that have shaped its foreign policy over time. It gives a nuanced and fair analysis that is both helpful and makes you think.

Syed Nek Muhammad