Dr.Syed Mehboob
Political and Economic Analyst
http//: www.thenewslark.com
email: drmehboob.thenewslark@gmail.com
2026 is welcoming Pakistan and its nation with open arms. Pakistan is entering 2026 as a victor, a dignified, important country.No country can afford to ignore Pakistan’s role in global politics and its importance, particularly in South Asia.
The year 2025 was a successful year for Pakistan. Pakistan effectively projected its principled stance at regional and global forums, while high-level overseas visits by the country’s leadership and the arrival of foreign delegations in Pakistan gave new momentum to bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and strategic partnerships. One of the most important developments was the signing of the “Pakistan Saudi Arabia Defence Agreement. The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Shehbaz Sharif, the Field Marshal Hafiz Syed Asim Munir, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar undertook important visits to China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Iran, the United States of America, European countries, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
These engagements significantly strengthened defence collaboration, trade ties, investment flows, and diplomatic relations.Following the Maarka-e-Haq in May, Pakistan-US relations entered a new phase of practical cooperation. High-level political and military contacts intensified, while US President Donald Trump publicly praised the leadership and capabilities of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir on several occasions. Cooperation between the two countries has deepened in key areas, including defense, counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and regional security.
Relations with China remained the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Beijing continued to support Pakistan’s economic development, defense capacity, and infrastructure growth. Under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), notable progress was made on energy, transport, and industrial projects.
One of the most significant diplomatic achievements of 2025 was the defence partnership agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also expressed a strong interest in expanding investment, energy cooperation, and development projects in Pakistan.Both countries maintained complete alignment on key issues affecting the Muslim world, including Palestine and Gaza.
Pakistan also adopted a clear and principled stance on Palestine, Kashmir, and the situation in Gaza at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and other international forums – positions that received appreciation at the global level.
During 2025, several foreign heads of state and senior government officials visited Pakistan. These included Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Murat Nurtleu.
On December 26, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, paid his first official visit to Pakistan. During the visit, a landmark agreement was signed under which the UAE committed to purchasing shares worth one billion dollars in Pakistan’s Fauji Foundation.According to analysts, the diplomatic successes of 2025 reflect Pakistan’s ability to safeguard its national interests through balanced, proactive, and effective diplomacy, despite facing complex global challenges.
In many ways, 2025 turned out to be a turning point for Pakistan. The country suddenly found itself mattering again in international affairs.Some Major developments defined this complex picture for Pakistan, highlighting both the opportunities and obstacles the country faced during the year.First, after years of relative marginalization in global affairs, Pakistan was able to reclaim a prominent position on the world stage. This shift was sparked by the intense four-day military clashes with India in May, which showcased Pakistan’s military capabilities, especially in air operations, reportedly resulting in the downing of several Indian planes. For militaries across the world, this demonstrated that Pakistan’s armed forces had not only kept pace with India’s military modernization but, to an extent, effectively countered New Delhi’s advancements despite economic challenges at home. Despite grappling with internal terrorism, economic pressures, and political divisions, this performance significantly restored Pakistan’s strategic credibility internationally.
After clashes with India, Pakistan’s relations with the United States warmed meaningfully even as India’s ties with Washington faced strains. In the Middle East, Pakistan formalized a major mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia and concluded a US$ 4 billion deal with Libya. The country is also in talks with other regional countries for similar pacts and defense sales. Its counterterrorism efforts also yielded notable successes, including close collaboration with Turkiye in operations against Islamic State militants.
China, on its part, welcomed the real-world validation of its defense systems used by Pakistan during the war with India, which to some extent also facilitated the rollout of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Additionally, Pakistan’s involvement emerged as vital in international efforts towards Gaza’s stabilization,including potential contributions to a multinational force. Together, these gains have positioned Pakistan to play a more influential role globally heading into 2026, highlighting a level of momentum not seen in years.
Second, Pakistan adopted a tougher stance toward Afghanistan as it moved away from past accommodation of the Afghan Taliban to apply sustained pressure aimed at dismantling the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and compel Kabul to sever ties with the group. In this regard, direct military actions, including strikes on Afghan soil, challenged long-held assumptions about cultural and regional interdependencies that could limit tough measures from Islamabad. Pakistan’s willingness to use hard power, as well as shutting down trade have come as a shock to the Taliban regime and significantly increased pressure on its crippling economy.
Moreover, Pakistan also brought its Afghanistan-related concerns to international platforms. It drew Qatar, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia into mediatory roles to effectively highlight cross-border threats. As a result, the Taliban regime faced growing isolation and found it difficult to present their claims that they are not supporting the TTP and other militant groups credibly globally. Notably, over one thousand ulemas issued a decree prohibiting attacks on neighboring countries from Afghan territory. This was clearly a step influenced by mounting pressure from Pakistan and other regional powers. Pakistan, meanwhile, intensified its domestic counter-terrorism efforts and achieved notable successes against the TTP. This approach by Pakistan underscores a clear signal to the Afghan Taliban that its continued support for the TTP risks severe diplomatic costs and potential long-term instability for the regime in the coming months.
A notable bright spot came with the successful privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). A chronically loss-making government-run enterprise, PIA has drained public resources for decades. The government in Pakistan deserves praise for completing this landmark transaction, which is the first such major privatization of a state-owned enterprise in around 20 years. This deal could mark a turning point in Pakistan by encouraging greater private sector activity and providing momentum to the economy.Globally, too, 2025 was challenging as international norms, laws, and institutions strained under renewed emphasis on hard power and military assertiveness. Moreover, ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East persisted while terrorist groups exploited vulnerabilities across Africa and Asia. Geopolitical unpredictability grew in 2025. This was largely due to policy shifts from the U.S., particularly the rampant use of coercive tariffs to pressure countries around the world. The U.S. also continued to support Israel’s actions in Gaza despite the international community calling for accountability.
This trend toward muscular and militarized approaches risks further escalation in 2026. This will likely diminish opportunities for dialogue amid competing resource demands, technological competitions, and climate pressures.
In this turbulent era, Pakistan must seek ways to attain political stability at home and foster its economic resilience with meaningful reforms to win investors’ confidence. The country has the opportunity to achieve this by taking advantage of the international mood favoring Pakistan to push domestic reforms. To safeguard gains made across economic, political, and diplomatic fronts, the country must urgently restore internal political unity while pursuing pragmatic and consistent diplomacy abroad.
