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ISLAMABAD: Once seen as a country pushed to the edges of international diplomacy, Islamabad&rsquo;s foreign policy has undergone a major shift in 2025, becoming a significant regional partner and security provider to major powers and a key player in South and West Asian geopolitics.&nbsp;Last month, Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, told the media that Pakistan had become &ldquo;extremely relevant&rdquo; on the global stage. He credited this change to more assertive diplomacy following the May military conflict with India.&nbsp;The recent developments follow several years of economic hardship, political unrest, and reduced cooperation with traditional allies after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.&nbsp;Turning point after years of strainConcerns about Pakistan&rsquo;s global standing were reflected in a May 22, 2023, report by the United States Congressional Research Service, which noted Pakistan&rsquo;s diminishing influence after the US exit from Afghanistan.&nbsp;Analysts describe 2025 as a turning point, with Islamabad working to re-establish itself as an active diplomatic player in South Asia, the Gulf, and beyond.&nbsp;Re-engagement with WashingtonFollowing the four-day war with India in May, Pakistan publicly acknowledged Washington&rsquo;s role in de-escalation and later nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.&nbsp;Since then, US President Donald Trump has praised Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on multiple occasions, calling him a &ldquo;highly respected general.&rdquo;&nbsp;In July, Pakistan and the United States finalized a trade deal aimed at boosting bilateral trade, expanding market access, and improving cooperation in energy and technology.&nbsp;According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, the agreement included reciprocal tariff reductions and joint efforts to develop Pakistan&rsquo;s energy reserves.&nbsp;&ldquo;This deal marks the beginning of a new era of economic collaboration, especially in energy, mines and minerals, IT, cryptocurrency, and other sectors,&rdquo; the APP reported.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the US Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires, Natalie Baker, stated in a social media post that &ldquo;the future is bright&rdquo; for US-Pakistan relations, citing increased cooperation, investment, and people-to-people exchanges during the year. Deepening ties in the GulfPakistan also moved to strengthen its role in the Middle East. In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in Riyadh. Under this agreement, an attack on one country would be considered an attack on both, reflecting the depth of their security partnership.&nbsp;The pact builds on decades of cooperation between the two nations and reinforces Pakistan&rsquo;s role as a key security partner in the Gulf.&nbsp;Sustained partnership with ChinaChina remained a central part of Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign and economic policy in 2025. The two countries reaffirmed their cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), especially in infrastructure, mining, and energy.&nbsp;In August 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Beijing and signed the &quot;CPEC Phase-II Acceleration Pact,&quot; focusing heavily on industrial cooperation and agricultural modernization.&nbsp;Expanding diplomatic effortsPakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic activity increased throughout the year, including high-level exchanges with T&uuml;rkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran. Islamabad also hosted the United States-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue in August.&nbsp;Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said earlier this year that Pakistan had entered a &ldquo;new phase&rdquo; of foreign policy, positioning itself as a partner to multiple major powers.&nbsp;Challenges from AfghanistanExperts acknowledge that challenges remain. Pakistan continues to face security threats originating from Afghanistan, which has caused significant instability.&nbsp;In an unprecedented move, both countries have engaged in direct and frequent clashes along their borders.&nbsp;According to Sammi Yousafzai, a specialist in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, &ldquo;the bilateral relations between the two countries nosedived to their lowest ebb.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;This has been a setback not only for Pakistan but also for the Afghan Taliban that lost a reliable partner during the persistent clashes,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Although bilateral border trade has largely stalled, quiet diplomacy is developing between the two nations.&nbsp;Afghanistan&rsquo;s Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, last week welcomed remarks by Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, along with a statement from Pakistani religious scholars in Karachi, emphasizing the need for dialogue.&nbsp;As 2025 concludes, Pakistan stands not on the fringes but at the heart of evolving strategic relationships, a transformation few would have predicted just a year ago.

Security

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan shifted from early-year diplomatic isolation to emerging as a key regional partner and security provider for major powers by year’s end, underscoring a notable turnaround in its foreign policy trajectory

Pakistan: From Isolation To Relevance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said country diplomacy in 2025 delivered key military, economic, and strategic outcomes, including the resolution of a brief military conflict with India during his news briefing at the foreign office.&nbsp;Speaking at his annual news briefing at the foreign office in Islamabad, the foreign minister said a four-day conflict with India in May marked a turning point for regional security, asserting that Pakistan&rsquo;s military performance disproved India&rsquo;s claim of regional dominance.&nbsp;&ldquo;Allah granted Pakistan a major success during the four-day conflict between May 6 and 10,&rdquo; Dar said. &ldquo;Seven Indian aircraft were downed, and 79 out of 80 drones were neutralized.&rdquo;&nbsp;The minister rejected Indian claims that Pakistan had attacked 15 Indian military installations, saying international verification confirmed no such strikes occurred.&nbsp;&ldquo;In a digital world, such attacks leave traces,&rdquo; he said, adding that Pakistan&rsquo;s position was later confirmed by global powers.&nbsp;Dar explained he received a call from &ldquo;US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informing him that India was ready for a ceasefire&rdquo;, followed by confirmation from Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan acted under Article 51 of the UN Charter, he said.&nbsp;Dar confirmed that Pakistan later nominated US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his &ldquo;role in facilitating the ceasefire&rdquo;.&nbsp;Turning to the economy, Dar said Pakistan secured significant foreign financial support during the year, including $4 billion from Saudi Arabia, $4 billion in state-to-state deposits from China, and $3 billion from the United States.&nbsp;He said Pakistan is engaged with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a $1 billion rollover expected by March, involving UAE investment in Fauji Foundation Group companies.&nbsp;&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also secured approval for a separate $2 billion rollover due in January, he added.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our result-oriented diplomacy has ended Pakistan&rsquo;s isolation,&rdquo; Dar said.&nbsp;&lsquo;Economic power&rsquo;On future priorities, Dar said Pakistan aims to become an &ldquo;economic power&rdquo; by tapping its mineral, gas, and hydrocarbon resources.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Allah made [Pakistan] a nuclear power and a missile power. What you need now is economic power,&rdquo; he stressed, highlighting that the country possessed great natural resources, such as mines and minerals, gas, and hydrocarbons.&nbsp;He stressed that now they had focused on turning the country into an economic power, and once they acquired such status, they would be able to lead the entire Ummah (nation).&nbsp; Offshore and onshore exploration blocks have already attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, China, and the US, he said.&nbsp;Dar reiterated that &quot;permanent peace&quot; in South Asia depends on resolving the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir dispute (IIOJK) and said Pakistan has revived the issue at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Breakthrough visit to BangladeshHe also described his recent visit to Bangladesh as a breakthrough after years of stalled relations and said Pakistan plans closer engagement after Dhaka&rsquo;s February elections.&nbsp;US relationsRelations with the US are improving, Dar said, noting &quot;bilateral trade of $13.28 billion, a $7 billion surplus for Pakistan in the last fiscal year,&quot; and enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our relationship is now on a positive trajectory,&rdquo; he said.

Economy

Pakistan’s foreign minister says 2025 diplomacy delivered military success against India, secured major foreign financial support, improved US ties, revived Kashmir advocacy, and set Pakistan’s goal of becoming an economic power

Pakistan 2025 diplomacy yields strategic, military gains: foreign minister

Here&rsquo;s everything shaping the world this week, from high-stakes diplomacy in Asia and shifting markets to new tech regulations, climate crises, cultural milestones, and major sporting events capturing global attention. Politics and DiplomacyThe week is dominated by geopolitical tensions as Beijing and Washington get ready for renewed talks on the sidelines of the East Asia and ASEAN summits in Kuala Lumpur. The talks will be attended by US President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, paving the way for high-level diplomacy amid growing friction in the Indo-Pacific. Trump will travel to Japan as part of his ongoing Asia tour before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC Summit in South Korea later this week. Trade security, AI governance, and South China Sea maritime concerns are among the agenda themes. In Europe, France is debating its 2026 national budget and facing a number of high-profile corruption prosecutions, while the Netherlands is holding a crucial parliamentary election on Wednesday that could change the political landscape. At the UN, the Security Council examines peacekeeping missions in Libya, Bosnia, and Western Sahara, as the General Assembly gets ready to vote once more on the US embargo on Cuba. As Pakistan and Afghanistan continue their dialogue to defuse recent border tensions, Middle Eastern authorities keep an eye on the precarious situation along the Israel-Lebanon border. Economy and BusinessAmid conflicting inflation prospects, markets are cautious ahead of major interest rate announcements from the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the Bank of Japan, which are expected to influence year-end monetary estimates.&nbsp; With Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet, Samsung, and Shell all releasing results, tech and energy earnings are driving global markets this week. Investors are keeping an eye out for indications of rising AI-driven capital spending and weakening consumer demand. While China&#39;s PMI and industrial data are closely monitored for clues about the global recovery, oil prices continue to fluctuate amid persistent tensions in the Middle East. A more comprehensive picture of the state of the European economy is provided by the GDP, inflation, and unemployment statistics released by Germany, France, and the larger eurozone. TechnologyAs the APEC Digital Ministers&#39; Meeting presents frameworks for AI ethics, data sharing, and digital taxation, a pivotal week for Big Tech regulation begins. A new enforcement phase of the EU Digital Markets Act emphasizes advertising transparency, app store fees, and platform dominance. Pressure for pre-election oversight is growing as congressional hearings on AI-generated misinformation continue in the US. At GTC 2025 in Washington, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is anticipated to reveal developments in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. In Asia, the Tokyo International Film Festival and Japan Mobility Show showcase the region&#39;s technological and design innovation, while China&#39;s Shenzhou-21 mission represents a significant milestone in its growing space program. Nintendo reveals financial results as &quot;Football Manager 26&quot; launches globally on November 4, and France holds the World Nuclear Exhibition, which focuses on investments in clean energy. Science and SpaceChina&#39;s Shenzhou-21 sends three astronauts to the Tiangong space station for a six-month mission to conduct materials testing and research on orbital life support. With the launch of its Aeolus-II satellite, the European Space Agency is improving climate and weather forecasting data worldwide. Researchers in Germany have made strides towards the viability of sustainable energy with a breakthrough in fusion power stability. In its quarterly nuclear safety report, the IAEA warns of continued Iranian enrichment activities and growing proliferation concerns in the Middle East. Climate and EnvironmentNational commitments are still far from reaching the 1.5&deg;C target, according to the UN Environment Programme&#39;s annual Emissions Gap Report. While Hurricane Melissa threatens widespread displacement as it advances across Jamaica towards Haiti and Cuba, severe flooding in Thailand and Vietnam continues. The Green Industry Plan is launched in Europe, aiming to accelerate investments in green energy and renewable manufacturing to compete with Chinese and US subsidies. Ahead of COP30 in Brazil later this year, early-season heatwaves in South America are raising concerns. CultureOver 100,000 artefacts, including the whole Tutankhamun collection, are on display at Cairo&#39;s Grand Egyptian Museum as it finally opens to the public after years of anticipation. The Tokyo International Film Festival and the AFI Fest in Los Angeles highlight international cinema, with Asian directors and European co-productions driving awards buzz. Authorities in several nations are maintaining increased security as Halloween celebrations take place around the world, following previous crowd-control incidents. SportsThe Women&#39;s ODI Cricket World Cup draws record attendance throughout South Asia as it comes to a close in Colombo. Top-ranked players visit Saudi Arabia for the WTA Finals in Riyadh, marking a highly anticipated debut for the kingdom&#39;s growing sports sector. While rugby internationals test lineups in London, Paris, and Chicago in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, more than 50,000 runners compete in the New York Marathon. FIFA&#39;s Executive Committee convenes in Zurich to finalise the logistics of the 2030 World Cup, which Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will jointly host.

Asia

Americas

Europe

Here’s everything shaping the world this week, from high-stakes diplomacy in Asia and shifting markets to new tech regulations, climate crises, cultural milestones, and major sporting events capturing global attention.

Articles tagged with "Diplomacy"

Pakistan: From Isolation To Relevance

Pakistan 2025 diplomacy yields strategic, military gains: foreign minister

This week around the world: power, policy, and pressure points