Content Details | NUML Online Research Repository

Title Pakistan’s Afghanistan Policy: A Comparative Analysis of PPP (2008-2013) and PML-N (2013-2018) Governments

Author(s) Madiha Zanib

Abstract ABSTRACT Afghanistan is Pakistan’s most immediate neighbor. Throughout the history both countries find it difficult to maintain cordial and stable bilateral relations. Incident of 9/11 turned to be more chaotic for Pakistan as well as for Afghanistan. American twin towers attack, involvement of Al-Qaeda, and Pakistan’s front line role in US led global war on terrorism remain the most critical aspects of post 9/11 Pak-Afghan relations. Pakistan’s foreign policy towards Afghanistan mostly remained military-orientated because of immediate security concerns throughout. In 2008 the first post 9/11 civilian government in Pakistan under Pakistan People’s Party regime had to deal with severe security implications in the backdrop of global war on terrorism. Pakistan People’s party foreign policy agenda towards Afghanistan mainly dealt with the security concerns in the form of suicide bombing, terrorist attacks, kidnapping, and target killing by the terrorists. At the same time, the issues of settlement of Afghan refugees also remain at the priority agenda of PPP’s Afghan policy. The successor of PPP was Pakistan’s Muslim League-N coming into power in 2013 after the successful completion of five years terms of PPP. Though, PML-N foreign policy agenda towards Afghanistan also remain focused to combat terrorism but they revised their afghan policy including the normalization of its relations on the common grounds. The PML-N agenda included to strengthen economic ties, settlement of Afghan refugees and a contribution to peace building in Afghanistan. Both the democratic governments in their respective periods managed to maintain bilateral relations with Afghanistan in the best available policy options. It is argued that during the PPP’s regime Pakistan’s foreign policy towards Afghanistan have been dominated and influenced by the military decision making due to high security and strategic risks in the wake of fighting Taliban in Afghanistan. As comparatively during the PML-N tenure starting from 2013, Pakistan’s Afghan policy broadened taking other issues in its agenda as Afghanistan entered into reconstruction and rebuilding phase. This research aims to comparatively analyze Pakistan’s foreign policy under the two governments of Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N. The research evaluates the challenges faced by both the governments during their rule

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

Faculty Social Sciences

Department International Relations

Language English

Publication Date 2021-08-26

Subject International Relations

Publisher NA

Contributor(s) NA

Format Chicago 16th Edition

Identifier NA

Source NA

Relation NA

Coverage NA

Rights NA

Category NA

Description