On 19^th October 2023, Ambassador (R) Abdul Basit, former High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, addressed on “Foreign Policy of Pakistan”, to the participants of the 34^th SMC.

During the lecture discussion, Ambassador (R) Abdul Basit discussed determinants of foreign policy for a sovereign state in different political settings. While discussing Pakistan’s foreign policy, he highlighted internal and external factors shaping its foreign policy, bilaterally and multilaterally. He also spoke about the hindering factors that could not allow the country to utilized its true potential to convert foreign policy in economic dividend. He gave a good account on Pakistan’s relationship with major powers and its neighbors including India and China explaining different decisions made over the period of time with these countries. He pointed out the towards the difficult situation emerging at regional and global landscape in the backdrop of terrorism, d India and recent Palestine conflict and maintained that Pakistan has to maintain a balanced approach towards major players, though it will remain a challenge. Hence, policy options remain limited.

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