The incumbent Pakistani government’s extra attention to foreign issues is leading to a governance crisis and domestic instability.
Taut Bataut
During the floods earlier this year, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went on foreign tours rather than concentrating inside the country, visiting flood-affected regions. Similarly, he presided over the cabinet meeting to approve the extraordinary 27th Constitutional Amendment through video link from Azerbaijan, where he was on an insignificant visit. Government officials and supporters justify these unnecessary overseas trips as a demonstration of the country’s rejuvenated international prominence, ascribing it to the effectiveness of the sitting government’s foreign policy.
However, decreasing the reliance on allies and addressing domestic issues are key to perpetual prosperity and progress of the country
However, foreign policy successes are measured by their returns, not mere activity. The main criterion is whether these visits deliver any positive outcome to the country, rather than the number of these tours of the government officials or their personal monetary or political benefits from these visits. Indeed, Pakistan should be diplomatically active, but these diplomatic engagements must be result-oriented and consequential, and must not be at the expense of the domestic governance crisis. Unfortunately, this pattern of excessive attention to foreign engagements and ignorance of domestic issues has an extended track record in Pakistan’s history.
Historical Roots of Pakistan’s External Dependence
The foundation of this recurring behavior in Pakistan’s ruling elite lies in the country’s requirements in the initial chaotic years of its birth. In the aftermath of the subcontinent’s partition, Pakistan was faced with numerous domestic and regional challenges. The then-government was threatened by a strong regional rival on the Eastern border of the country, having aggressive ambitions towards the country’s sovereignty. This compelled the then-leadership to pursue an international external balancing approach to counter New Delhi’s power through foreign alliances.
At that time, this approach was truly appropriate, given the country’s domestic and regional needs. Moreover, this strategy did not distract the leadership in the initial years of the country’s inception from addressing pressing domestic issues, as establishing strong military and governance structures for a nascent country and dealing with the massive refugee inflow were inevitable for the state’s survival. However, Pakistan’s quest for security significantly influenced the country’s domestic political evolution and foreign policy approach for decades to come.
However, Pakistan’s alliance with the United States in the Cold War and its military and strategic support to the Afghan Taliban during that era had long-term detrimental impacts on the country. This alliance came at the cost of Pakistan’s domestic stability, whose consequences persist to haunt the country even to this day. Pakistan’s training and strategic assistance of the Taliban at the behest of the United States led to a surge in extremism throughout the country. Later, Pakistan was coerced into joining the US-led so-called ‘War on Terror.’ This led to a significant surge in terrorism inside the country, costing thousands of lives and economic stability.
The Cost of Foreign Dependence Today
Despite bitter historic experiences, the incumbent Pakistani government is following the very same approach: striving to enhance the country’s international image while neglecting domestic issues. The perennial policy of Pakistani governments of excessive external outreach also stimulated a practice of dependence on allies for temporary relief from economic challenges. Military and economic aid received in the past few decades due to the country’s alignment with the US-led wars have created an official habit and mindset of external dependence. This dependence also provided an opportunity for corrupt leaders and politicians to achieve their personal ambitions while further destabilizing the country politically and economically.
Another significant impact of this over-reliance on foreign nations also led to Western imperialist capture of the country. Today, Pakistan has to align its foreign policy with the regional and international interests of the United States. Islamabad follows a policy of appeasement towards Washington to gain economic incentives and bailout packages from US-backed financial institutions like the IMF. This foreign dependence has not only shaped the contours of Pakistan’s foreign policy but has also influenced its domestic policies. This is evident from Pakistan’s signing of Trump’s 20-point peace plan despite unwavering pro-Palestine sentiment at home.
In addition, the Pakistani ruling elite keeps on relying on external aid instead of domestic economic reforms to stabilize the country economically. Indeed, the country should establish cordial relations with international powers. However, it should not come at the expense of domestic political and economic stability. A recent IMF report highlights that Pakistan loses 6 percent of its GDP to corruption annually. The state needs to make significant economic reforms to curb widespread corruption in the country. Foreign economic reliance could stabilize the country temporarily. However, decreasing the reliance on allies and addressing domestic issues are key to the perpetual prosperity and progress of the country.
Taut Bataut is a researcher and writer that publishes on South Asian geopolitics
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