Pakistan and a World in Disorder: A Grand Strategy for the Twenty-First Century

by Javid Husain

This book delineates the role that Pakistan should play in the largely anarchic world of the twenty-first century in order to best serve the country’s long-term national interests. Its main aim is to lay down the parameters within which Pakistan’s grand strategy should be formulated, taking into account the evolving global and regional security environment and Pakistan’s historical experience. Provided here is an in-depth analysis and critical evaluation of the past record of Pakistan’s foreign policy within this context, bringing out its successes and failures, strengths and weaknesses. Based on these analyses, a comprehensive approach is recommended for safeguarding Pakistan’s national security and promoting its prosperity utilizing a strategy that is a marked departure from the military-dominated, uni-dimensional policies the country has followed thus far. Besides providing guidelines to Pakistan’s policy makers and intelligentsia, this book will be of interest to academics, foreign observers, and general readers in understanding the constraints and parameters within which Pakistan – a de facto nuclear-weapon state of 190 million people at the cross-roads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Persian Gulf – must operate to safeguard its national interests in the turbulent times ahead.

226 pages, Hardcover

Published May 21, 2016

Reviews

[Ali Hassan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pakistan is faced with an anarchic and extremely competitive global security environment marked by the domination of power politics over international law, the diminished authority of the UN on the strategic issues of war and peace, civilizational faultlines, the primacy of economic power, the importance of science and technology in determining the power of states and its growth, the rise of new powers demanding the accommodation of their interests in the international system, and shifting alliances. It is this “world in disorder” with an unpredictable and inhospitable international environment, in which Pakistan has to operate to safeguard its security and attain the goal of economic prosperity so that its people may realize their full potential.
Pakistan’s grand strategy must come to grips with these ground realities in such a manner as would safeguard its legitimate national interests. This will not be an easy task. But it should be possible to evolve such a grand strategy if the nation takes into account the salient features of the global and regional security environment, learns from its past experience, and develops a coherent and well thought-out mix of political, economic, security, and diplomatic policies to overcome the challenges confronting it.
This book analyzes in greater detail some specific aspects of the regional and international security environment impinging on Pakistan’s security and economic well-being. It also clarifies how Pakistan can best safeguard its national interests in the largely anarchic world of the twenty-first century. And how idealism in international relations falls victim to realpolitik and fails at the domestic level, as in the case of Pakistan.
I find this book excellent in the category of "foreign policy of Pakistan". And I would highly recommend it to the students of History, Political Science, and International Relations.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book outlines Pakistan's proper place in the largely anarchic world of the twenty-first century and how to do it in a way that best serves the long-term national interests of Pakistan. Its main goal is to define the boundaries within which Pakistan's grand strategy should be developed, while also taking into account Pakistan's historical experience, the changing global and regional security environment, and other relevant factors. This article provides a thorough analysis and critical evaluation of Pakistan's past foreign policy performance in this context, highlighting its successes and failures as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Based on these analyses, a comprehensive strategy that differs significantly from the military-dominated, one-dimensional policies the nation has up to this point is advised for preserving Pakistan's national security and fostering its prosperity.

This book will be helpful to academics, foreign observers, and general readers in understanding the constraints and parameters within which Pakistan - a de facto nuclear-weapon state of 190 million people at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Persian Gulf - must operate to safeguard its national interests in the turbulent times ahead. In addition to offering guidelines to Pakistan's policy makers and intelligentsia.

[Sardar Alam Shafqat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best book on Pak's foreign policy.