Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: A Reappraisal (2nd Edition)

Description

This book is a penetrating analysis of Pakistan’s foreign policy from the time of Independence in 1947 until the beginning of the new millennium. The formulation of Pakistan’s foreign policy has been discussed from a fresh perspective. The author has tried to pragmatically examine the structural failures of Pakistan’s foreign policy-making process and calls for new thinking on various aspects of Pakistan’s foreign policy, with special emphasis on Pakistan-India relations vis-a-vis Kashmir, and suggests various policy options and indicates their possible consequences for Pakistan.

The author makes a strong plea for realism and moderation, taking into account the best interests of Pakistan, particularly in view of the acquisition of nuclear weapons by both India and Pakistan. The book is based on the author’s personal observations and analysis during thirty-nine years of diplomatic service as Pakistan’s Ambassador and Special Envoy to various countries around the world. This new edition contains a chapter on the post 9/11 developments in Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Table of Contents

1. The Rationale for Partition and Peaceful Co-existence
2. Indo-Pakistan Relations: The First Phase
3. Pakistan’s Quest for Security
4. The First Indo-Pakistan War, 1965
5. The Second Indo-Pakistan War, 1971
6. The Resurgence of Pakistan after 1971
7. The Afghanistan Problem
8. Pakistan’s Multilateral Diplomacy
9. Pakistan’s Relations with the Islamic World
10. Pakistan’s Relations with China
11. A Reappraisal of Indo-Pakistan Relations
12. Learning from Experience
13. The Kargil Crisis: An Assessment
14. Strengthening the OIC
15. The Role of the Islamic World in Global Politics
16. The Fall of the Soviet Union: Implications for Pakistan
17. Post 9/11 Developments in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy

Author Biography

Shahid M. Amin served in the Pakistan Foreign Service in various capacities including Ambassador and Special Envoy. He was Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, France, the Soviet Union, Nigeria, and Libya, with concurrent accreditation to several other countries. He was also posted in New Delhi, Kabul, Tehran, Brussels, London, and New York. Shahid M. Amin retired from the Foreign Service in 1997 and this is his first book.

He is a well-known figure in the media where he participates in discussions on international affairs and Pakistan’s political and economic scenario. The author has also published articles on foreign affairs in local and international publications. His other publications include Realism in Politics (ABC, 2003); Reminiscences of a Pakistani Diplomat (KCFR, 2005); Europe and the Muslim World: Coexistence or Conflict? (University of Karachi, 2012); A Concise History of Pakistan (IoBM, 2015); Pakistan Forever (PFI, Islamabad, 2017).