Our state’s obsession with Muslim Ummah (Muslim Brotherhood) and Jihad policy are the primary reasons for Pakistan’s shortfall during the last 4 decades.
Over the years it has become our social norm in Pakistan that religion is an important part of life and everything should be under religious guidelines. Pakistan has built up its foreign policy by considering these factors and emphasizing mainly the Islamic world. In the modern era, the relationship between two states stands due to mutual interest, investment, and trade and unfortunately, we didn't realize it. While writing this answer, I was thinking about how we have yet to identify new allies, and friends in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
Pakistan’s foreign policy during the 50′s and 60′s was quite secular when we had allies in Europe as we were part of SEATO (the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) and CENTO (The Central Treaty Organization). After the 1965 war, Pakistan lost many allies in Europe. The 1971 war is another example where Pakistan couldn't get much support from the rest part of the world.
Pakistani regime was in search of new alliances, therefore they put more emphasis on the Islamic World. Pakistan’s support to the Arab World in the 1967 war against Israel was indicating a factor of it. Many people still blame Zia ul Haq for nurturing Islamization in Pakistan but I guess it was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who is the pioneer of Islamic nationalism in Pakistan.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto organized Islamic Summit in 1974 which had participants of leaders like King Faisal, Yasir Arafat, Muammar Qaddafi, etc. This summit built up Pakistan’s reputation very well in the Islamic world. It must be noted that the influence of Gulf countries especially Saudi Arabia in Pakistan started in the late 70s after the Iranian Revolution.
Those were the years when this feeling was developing in the minds of our establishment that Pakistan is the only country that can lead the Islamic World. It was further established when we defeated the Soviets through Jihad.
I have covered many times in previous responses that the Afghan war made drastic changes in Pakistan society where Jihad was promoted at the state level. The aftermaths of our Jihad policy are extremely painful and horrible where we lost over 70K Pakistanis during the last 2 decades. These Jihadis who were once portrayed as heroes in the West notably in Hollywood movies turned against our people due to the change of policy after 9/11.
Pakistan needs to realize that Jihad was once needed by Americans in Afghanistan when they had to defeat USSR and they are no longer interested in it. If there is any feeling that things like Jihad will work again in Kashmir, believe me, they are a big mistake.
At the time when Pakistan was looking towards the Islamic World for their support over the Kashmir issue after the revocation of article 370, no one came up front. This is a learning lesson from Pakistan no one will stand for you until and unless you have something to offer them in return. Being an Islamic Country isn't the criteria to get automated support from the rest of the Islamic World in return for every matter.
It's high time Pakistan should build up its foreign policy based on regional and strategic interests. We need to promote trade and tourism which is the only way Pakistan will come out from all these crises in the coming years.
This is my opinion what is your
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