Over the past year, Pakistan has emerged from a period of limited engagement to reassert itself as a significant player in regional and global diplomacy. Through careful coordination among the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the military leadership, Islamabad has rebuilt vital relationships and forged new avenues of cooperation. The outcome has been a broad diplomatic recovery that has restored Pakistan’s visibility and leverage in world affairs.
A turning point after the May 2025 crisis
The diplomatic resurgence that followed mid-2025 was shaped by a pivotal event — the India–Pakistan confrontation of May 2025. The brief but intense episode, triggered by an Indian air operation that Pakistan swiftly repelled, resulted in the loss of several Indian aircraft and underlined Islamabad’s credible deterrence capability. The confrontation drew urgent attention from Washington, where President Donald Trump publicly claimed on numerous occasions that he had “helped prevent a nuclear war” between the two countries.
The May 2025 crisis became a defining moment — turning confrontation into an opportunity for renewed dialogue.
The crisis prompted renewed engagement between Pakistan and the United States. President Trump, alongside the vice president and secretary of state, engaged intensively to prevent escalation. His outreach to Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, was followed by a meeting in Washington described by US media as unusually candid and constructive. Soon after, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by the army chief, met President Trump again at the Oval Office following the UN General Assembly. These engagements marked the start of a broader reset between the two countries.
Resetting relations with Washington
This renewed engagement has been described by Foreign Policy as one of Pakistan’s most consequential diplomatic achievements of the year. Dialogue between Islamabad and Washington has expanded beyond crisis management to encompass trade, energy, critical-mineral cooperation, and defence consultations. Senior officials from both sides have met repeatedly to discuss tariff reductions, investment facilitation, and new channels for technology transfer.
For Pakistan, the reopening of economic and security cooperation with the world’s largest economy carries strategic weight. It restores a channel that had narrowed in recent years and brings Islamabad back into conversations about regional stability and supply-chain resilience.
The renewed trust was visible in Pakistan’s inclusion in the US- and Qatar-hosted meetings of Arab and Muslim countries in New York and later at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit on Gaza. Pakistan’s participation underscored Washington’s recognition of Islamabad as a constructive regional voice, one capable of bridging conversations between the Muslim world and the West. At the summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was the only leader personally invited by President Trump to speak. His remarks commending the former US president’s mediation efforts, while criticised by some, were widely acknowledged as deft diplomacy that strengthened Pakistan’s international standing.
Consolidating partnerships in the Gulf
Parallel to the US reset, Pakistan has deepened engagement with long-standing partners in the Gulf. The signing of a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia was a milestone, formalising decades of strategic trust and shared security interests. It was complemented by new commitments in energy, investment, and labour mobility — all reinforcing Pakistan’s economic recovery agenda.
These developments reflect Riyadh’s growing confidence in Pakistan’s regional posture. By aligning diplomacy with both Washington and the Gulf, Islamabad has strengthened partnerships without compromising its independent stance.
Strategic continuity with China and East Asia
Pakistan’s relationship with China continues to serve as a cornerstone of its foreign policy, one defined by trust, mutual respect, and shared strategic interests. During high-level exchanges in Beijing and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meetings, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and signed new memoranda on industrial development, renewable energy, and technology cooperation.
For Washington, outreach to Islamabad aligns with its own interests — balancing India’s assertiveness and maintaining Gulf stability
Pakistan remains an integral part of the Belt and Road Initiative. The long-standing friendship between Islamabad and Beijing was tested once again during the confrontation with India — and it passed that test. Strategic convergence and defence cooperation helped Pakistan dominate the conflict and emerge as a clear victor.
Expanding engagement with Central Asia
Building on its strategic partnership with China, Pakistan has extended its diplomatic focus northward to Central Asia. Islamabad has strengthened engagement with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan through official visits, trade forums, and agreements on energy and transit corridors linking Central Asia to Pakistani seaports. These initiatives underscore Pakistan’s commitment to becoming a regional hub for trade and connectivity, complementing broader projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Deepening ties with Turkey, Iran, and Malaysia
Parallel to its outreach in Central Asia, Pakistan has continued to consolidate ties with Turkey, Iran, and Malaysia — nations with which it shares strong cultural and strategic affinities. Cooperation with Turkey has expanded across defence, trade, and technology. With Iran, Islamabad has maintained an open line of dialogue despite regional tensions, focusing on border security and energy connectivity. Engagement with Malaysia has centred on education, halal trade, and Islamic finance. Together, these partnerships highlight Pakistan’s balanced and inclusive approach to diplomacy, one that values regional solidarity while aligning with global priorities.
From isolation to engagement
Pakistan’s diplomatic resurgence is even more remarkable when contrasted with the isolation it faced only a few years earlier. Under the previous administration, foreign-policy missteps and rhetorical excesses had strained ties with key Western and regional partners, leaving Pakistan excluded from major dialogues by 2022–23.
The present leadership reversed that trend through institutional coordination and quiet, professional diplomacy. The prime minister, foreign minister, and army chief worked in concert to rebuild trust, ensuring messages were consistent and focused on partnership rather than grievance.
Three factors underpinned this recovery: a united national narrative presenting growth and stability as shared goals; emphasis on tangible deliverables supported by follow-up mechanisms; and a security framework aligned with broader themes of regional peace. This disciplined approach proved that Pakistan could engage constructively and reliably at the highest levels of international diplomacy.
A restored sense of agency
The cumulative impact of these efforts has been a restoration of agency in Pakistan’s external affairs. The country now enjoys renewed credibility in Washington, strategic depth in the Gulf, and an enduring partnership with Beijing. Invitations to major regional summits, resumption of trade dialogues, and visible foreign investment all point to a diplomatic environment once again receptive to Pakistan’s voice.
The convergence of US geopolitical interests and Pakistan’s aspirations has created new opportunities for collaboration in trade, energy, and security. Islamabad’s challenge now lies in translating these gains into measurable domestic outcomes: investor confidence, infrastructure growth, and sustainable employment.
Horizon Magazine – PML-N’s Research and Policy Planning Unit & The official publication of PML-N
