THOUGH undeniably Pak-China enduring partnership stands as a testament to the unwavering strength of their relations, Pakistan seeks to amplify its presence on the global stage through meaningful engagement.
Against this backdrop, Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent visit to Washington marks a pivotal moment, potentially recalibrating the trajectory of Pak-US relations. This development is significantly marked highlighting the importance of Pakistan in US foreign policy calculations, particularly in its strategic landscape.
Substantially put, both Washington and Islamabad have systematically revised their bilateral ties in areas of counter-terrorism, trade, energy, artificial intelligence and mining, it has also profoundly highlighted Pakistan’s growing importance in global affairs, showcasing its role as a responsible nuclear power, a key player in regional geopolitics, a promoter of peace and diplomacy and a nation with a strong international image. This visit occurred amidst global tensions, economic considerations and evolving regional dynamics, the meeting suggests a potential strategic realignment between the US and Pakistan. It occurred amidst global tensions, economic considerations and evolving regional dynamics. Pakistan emphasized its dedication to regional and global peace and stability.
As both nations navigate the complexities of a changing global landscape, weaving a new tapestry of their strategic partnership holds promise for their enhanced trade relations and revitalized security cooperation. By leveraging their complementary strengths and expertise, Pakistan and the US can work together to address pressing challenges and build a more prosperous and secure future for both nations.
During Field Marshal Asim Munir’s June 2025 visit to Washington, the Pentagon acknowledged and valued the role of the Pakistan armed forces. The visit represented a high-level interaction between the Pakistani military and the US Administration. This historical visit has brought to the forefront Pakistan’s growing significance in global affairs, highlighting four major aspects that underscore its importance. Firstly, the US recognition of Pakistan as a responsible and sovereign nuclear power in the region sends a strong message to the international community regarding Pakistan’s exemplary role regarding its commitment to nuclear safety and security. This acknowledgement not only enhances Pakistan’s credibility but also reinforces its role as a key player in regional security and dynamics. Secondly, this visit highlights Pakistan’s pivotal role in the geopolitical landscape of the world. As a country, strategically located at the crossroads of South Asia, Middle East, Central Asia, Pakistan’s importance in regional and global affairs cannot be overlooked. The engagement between the two leadership underscores Pakistan’s potential to shape regional dynamics and contribute to global stability. Thirdly, the visit profoundly holds importance to Pakistan’s diplomatic role in fostering peace in the Muslim world.
AS a leader in the OIC, Pakistan has consistently played a key role in promoting peace, stability and cooperation among Muslim countries. This visit reinforces Pakistan’s diplomatic clout and its subtle ability to engage with global powers on key issues. And finally, this visit has significantly elevated Pakistan’s national image at the global stage. By engaging with a global power like the United States, Pakistan has demonstrated its ability to navigate complex international relationships and rebalance its interests. This enhanced image will likely have a positive impact on Pakistan’s economic and diplomatic engagements in the developed and the developing world, thereby opening up new opportunities for cooperation and development.
Though the Pakistani analysts view this revamped relationship with a cautious approach due to Trump’s pro-Israel policies, the fact is that as s strong regional power, Pakistan wants to promote a ‘no-camp politics’ approach, seeking to maintain cooperation with both global powers. This strategy grants Islamabad ‘considerable diplomatic space’ to work with Beijing and Washington, leveraging its foreign policy as open and adaptive. Of course, this balancing act requires careful navigation, especially given regional sensitivities and global power competition, but Pakistan’s diplomatic history suggests it is well-equipped for the task.
Clearly, Pakistan is adhered to its principled foreign policy stance. Islamabad has strongly condemned the Israeli unprovoked aggression against Iran, particularly the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, calling it a ‘blatant provocation’ and a serious violation of international law and the UN Charter. Pakistan has raised its voice in favour of Iran in the UN Security Council, the OIC and other multilateral forums for Iran’s right of defence under the UN Charter.
And yet, there is no myth about Pakistan’s Israel policy as it is traditionally deep-rooted in Quaid’s vision, which remains fundamentally aligned with Palestinians’ right to self-determination. As for Israel’s unjust war in Gaza, Islamabad holds its principled position that Israel has been committing HR atrocities by violating international law and that there is no military solution to the Iran-Israel conflict, including US-Iran nuclear conflict. While employing realism, constructivism and liberalism and geopolitics, some argue the recent uplift in ties between Washington and Islamabad suggests a pragmatic transactional approach driven by America’s immediate security interests entailed by the imperatives of de-escalating India-Pakistan nuclear standoff, leveraging Pakistan role in Israel- Iran conflict and reinforcing counter-terrorism operations in South Asia.
Still, some western analysts argue that adaptive transactionalism seems to have galvanized via Trump-Munir meeting, redrawing or propelling the US foreign policy contours more profoundly driven by ’’ situational utility, maximization, leader-centric flexibility, selective leverage and strategic optics…..’’ Though they take new development in US-Pak relationship as a tactical romance rather than a durable and institutionalized partnership between Washington and Islamabad, they must not forget the point that Pakistan’s strategic prowess bolstered by its military and nuclear capabilities’ supremacy accompanied by its geostrategic leverage will likely remain a crucial factor in shaping US Administration’s perceptions of its importance in global affairs. To conclude, this revived Pak-US engagement can lead to tangible benefits for Pakistan, including enhanced economic ties, counter-terrorism and security cooperation, ultimately contributing to regional stability and prosperity.
—The writer, based in Pakistan, an independent IR & International Law analyst, also an expert in Conflict and Peace Studies (with special focus on Palestine, Kashmir), is member of European Consortium of Political Research (ECPR), including the Washington Foreign Law Society/American Society of International Law.
(rizvipeaceresearcher@gmail.com)
