THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN POLICY: FROM INDEPENDENCE TO CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES

Abstract

With a focus on International Relations (IR) theories, this article examines the intricate foreign policy landscape of Pakistan, offering a thorough study from the country's 1947 inception to the present. Pakistan is strategically positioned at the intersection of three major regions: South Asia,the Middle East, and Central Asia. As such, a variety of variables, such as its diversified neighbors and the constantly changing global power balances, influence Pakistan's diplomatic relations. In order to assess the applicability and pertinence of diverse IR theories to Pakistan's geopolitical situation, the study utilizes a mixed-methods methodology that combines historical analysis with current survey data. The impact of major historical occurrences on Pakistan's foreign policy 
strategies is examined critically, including the War on Terror, Cold War alliances, nuclearization, and post-partition wars. The results demonstrate how Pakistan's diplomatic strategy is flexible and show how liberalism, realism, constructivism, and other theoretical stances have shaped its interactions with other countries. This study attempts to contribute to the knowledge of Pakistan's 
foreign policy dynamics and provide insights on the best IR frameworks to direct its future diplomatic efforts by combining primary and secondary research.