PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY: AN ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC NARRATIVES AT SYSTEMIC AND SUB-SYSTEMIC LEVELS (2010-2020)

Abstract

Foreign Policy is a crucial phenomenon for any state to progress, prosper and pursue its national interests in a competitive international environment. Governed by various internal and external determinants; an effective foreign policy develops and utilizes strategic narratives on key issues, policies and incidents. To obtain certain goals in a specific time period or circumstances in the regional and global arena, Pakistan went through significantly challenging circumstances in the immediate post 9/11 era. There has been enormous pressure on Pakistan to contribute and fight in global war on terror specifically on its western border of Afghanistan. It was also under pressure to deter the internal threats of terrorism, extremism and radicalization and the continuous economic deterioration as an impact of the same war. In modern day international politics, strategic narratives are developed to achieve objectives related to national security and foreign policy of a state. Developed states such as the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia have been employing strategic narratives to obtain specific foreign policy goals within the international state system as per their needs and the requirement of the circumstances. Nevertheless, over the years it has been observed that small powers too have been using strategic narratives to pursue their foreign policy objectives in an effective manner. Pakistan has been utilizing strategic narratives especially during the time period of 2010-2020 to achieve certain objectives both at home and abroad vis-à-vis its decisions and policies in crucial circumstances such as the US Naval Seal Operation to hunt down Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in May 2011, US drone strikes, Salala incident, Raymond Davis, China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Kashmir. Pakistan has also utilized these narratives at the regional level with China, Iran, Afghanistan and India. This dissertation premises on two main aspects. First, it establishes the link between Pakistan’s foreign policy and strategic narratives through two state institutions and two popular newspapers; Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Dawn and The News. Second, it hypothesizes that a small power like Pakistan has used strategic narratives and counter narratives vis-à-vis great power like the US rigorously to pursue certain foreign policy goals in an effective manner and with regional states. This doctoral research serves two purposes; a) to explore different stages and steps of foreign policy decision making process in Pakistan and b) its reliance, objectives and processes of utilizing strategic narratives in crucial circumstances during the said time-period. Discourse analysis approach is adopted to analyze how strategic narratives were developed through usage of certain perspectives xiv and discourses in the print media and official statements from Pakistan’s Foreign Office and ISPR. The data has been collected, treated and analyzed through qualitative methods primarily. Quantitative method with empirical approach is also followed to discover and comprehend the foreign policy decision making processes at systemic and sub-systemic levels and role of strategic narratives to achieve foreign policy goals during 2010-20. The dissertation draws the conclusion that strategic narratives were used as a tool to develop a conducive environment to conduct an effective foreign policy in critical and complex regional and international situations. Additionally, it also emphasizes the foreign policy behavior of a small power like Pakistan vis-à vis great power, the US, during 2010-2020 with the help of national institutions and media.