Pakistan’s strategic environment reshaped by global conflicts and shifting alliances, experts say
The Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Islamabad, hosted a roundtable on “Emerging Geopolitical Alliances and Implications for Pakistan” on 26 November 2025, bringing together seasoned diplomats and security experts to assess how rapidly evolving global alignments are redefining Pakistan’s strategic environment. Participants stressed that good governance at home must underpin any effective diplomatic strategy abroad.
Global Conflicts Drive Structural Shifts in Pakistan’s Strategic Landscape
Moderating the discussion, Air Marshal Zahid Mehmood (Retd), Senior Director at CASS, said 2025 had been a transformative year for global geopolitics. From the India–Pakistan war to the Iran–Israel confrontation, he noted that multiple conflicts exposed deeper structural changes in the international system.
He added that cooling India–US relations and shifting Middle Eastern political currents had opened limited diplomatic windows for Pakistan, even as tensions along the Afghan border grew. In such a fluid and unpredictable environment, he argued, Pakistan must adopt a balanced approach that protects national interests while anticipating emerging opportunities.
Ambassador Basit: Pakistan Navigating a Global ‘Polycrisis’
Keynote speaker Ambassador Abdul Basit (Retd), former High Commissioner to India, described Pakistan’s current foreign policy environment as one of simultaneous integration and fragmentation, with crises unfolding across regions as part of a broader global “polycrisis.”
He warned against excessive rhetoric and urged political maturity, strategic patience, and clarity of purpose. Outlining Pakistan’s foreign policy pillars, he emphasised:
- regional peace and stability
- balanced ties with major powers
- stronger engagement with the Muslim world
- leveraging foreign policy for socio-economic development
Ambassador Basit reiterated that sustainable peace with India cannot be achieved without resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Stronger Diplomacy Requires Better Governance at Home
The speaker at CASS roundtable further highlighted the need to engage Afghanistan through direct diplomacy or a trilateral arrangement with China. Despite recent signals of US–China de-escalation, he cautioned that structural challenges remain, with India continuing to shape the regional strategic environment.
He stressed that Pakistan’s diplomacy abroad would remain constrained unless supported by strong governance structures at home.
CASS President Calls for Unified National Approach
In his closing remarks, Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed (Retd), President CASS, commended the speaker’s clarity in outlining Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and challenges. He reaffirmed that good governance remains central to achieving foreign policy objectives.
He expressed optimism that Pakistan’s political, military, and diplomatic leadership would work cohesively during this critical period, noting that diplomatic leadership may play an increasingly prominent role in shaping the country’s external direction.
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