Diplomacy in Disguise: Pakistan’s Foreign Policy of Paradox and Convenience – Aneesa Baloch

Written By: Aneesa Baloch

A Nation of Shifting Allegiances Pakistan’s foreign policy has long been a master class in contradiction—an elaborate dance between ideological posturing and strategic opportunism. From its covert alliances to its selective outrage, Islamabad has consistently prioritized short-term gains over principled diplomacy. From Afghanistan to Palestine, from Washington to Beijing, Islamabad’s record is riddled with contradictions that have left allies mistrustful, neighbors resentful, and its own citizens disillusioned. The Afghan Chessboard: Allies and Adversaries in the Same Breath During the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, Pakistan played a double role. On one hand, it offered logistical support to American forces, granting access to airbases and supply routes. On the other, its intelligence agency, the ISI, was accused of nurturing the very insurgents—like the Taliban and Haqqani Network—that targeted U.S. troops.

Between 2002 and 2018, the U.S. provided over $33 billion in aid to Pakistan, much of it for counterterrorism. Yet, American officials repeatedly cited Pakistan’s duplicity as a major obstacle to peace in Afghanistan. The 2011 discovery of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, just kilometers from Pakistan’s military academy, shattered any remaining illusions. The SEAL raid that killed him was not just a tactical victory—it was a diplomatic indictment. The Selective Ummah Card Despite its vocal support for Muslim causes like Palestine and Kashmir, Pakistan has remained conspicuously silent on China’s brutal repression of Uyghur Muslims. Over a million Uyghurs have been detained in internment camps, mosques have been razed, and Islamic practices criminalized—yet Islamabad has never raised the issue on global platforms.

In 2019, Pakistan joined 37 other countries in signing a letter to the UN defending China’s policies in Xinjiang, calling them “counter-terrorism measures.” This silence is not accidental—it’s strategic. China is Pakistan’s largest creditor and a key partner in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $62 billion infrastructure initiative. Iran: Ally in Public, Adversary in Private Pakistan’s relationship with Iran is a study in transactional diplomacy. While publicly affirming solidarity with Tehran, Islamabad has quietly enabled anti-Iranian militant groups like Jaish al-Adl, which operate from Pakistani soil and routinely attack Iranian border forces. In 2025, Pakistan’s bizarre nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize—just days before U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites—was seen by many in Tehran as a betrayal. The optics were damning: a lunch with Trump at Mar-a-Lago followed by bunker-buster bombs over Natanz.

Jaish al-Adl has claimed responsibility for multiple deadly attacks on Iranian security forces since 2013, with Tehran repeatedly accusing Islamabad of harboring the group. Bangladesh: Opportunism over Accountability Even in its relations with Bangladesh, Pakistan’s diplomacy is marked by self-interest rather than justice. Decades after the 1971 Liberation War — a conflict in which millions of Bangladeshis were killed, women were brutalized, and the nation was carved out through Pakistan’s military repression — Islamabad has made overtures to “normalize” relations. Trade deals, cultural exchanges, and high-level visits are framed as reconciliation, yet they conveniently ignore Pakistan’s historical crimes. Analysts argue these gestures are not about acknowledging past atrocities but about co-opting Bangladesh as a strategic partner in South Asia, particularly against India. Pakistan’s selective amnesia exposes a recurring pattern: it leverages diplomacy to gain influence while sidelining moral accountability, demonstrating that for Islamabad, historical justice is negotiable, and principle is secondary to profit and strategic advantage.

The Balochis, Pashtun and Afghan Dilemma Beyond foreign entanglements, Islamabad has waged silent wars against its own. In Balochistan, the resource-rich province has been reduced to a garrisoned colony, its wealth siphoned off while locals live in deprivation. Internally, Pakistan has waged a quiet war against its own Pashtun population through displacement, surveillance, and resource extraction. Externally, its mass expulsion of Afghan refugees—many of whom were registered with the UN—drew international condemnation.

In late 2024, Pakistan forcibly deported over 1.7 million Afghan refugees, including women and children, citing “security concerns.” UN reports documented widespread abuse and lack of due process. This crackdown not only violated international norms but also exposed the hollowness of Pakistan’s claims to Islamic solidarity. Palestine and Israel: Rhetoric vs. Reality Pakistan’s historical support for Palestine is etched into its national identity—its passports famously exclude Israel. Yet, its actions often contradict this stance. During Black September in 1970, Pakistani military advisors reportedly assisted Jordanian forces in suppressing Palestinian factions, resulting in thousands of deaths. More recently, Pakistan’s alignment with Turkey and Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict indirectly placed it on the same side as Israel, which supplied drones and weapons to Baku.

In 2020, Israeli-made drones played a decisive role in Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia, while Pakistan offered diplomatic and logistical support to Baku.

A Foreign Policy of Expedience, Not Ethics Pakistan’s foreign policy is less a doctrine than a survival mechanism—an ever-shifting calculus of interests, alliances, and optics. It champions Muslim unity when convenient, courts Western powers when profitable, and suppresses dissent when necessary. This is not diplomacy. It is duplicity. The result is a nation that, decades after its birth, still struggles for credibility on the world stage. Pakistan plays ally to the West while posturing as guardian of the Ummah— a game that fools no one.