Asian Research Thesis Index

Abstract

This thesis explains Pakistan‘s post 9/11 foreign policy trends during the President  Musharraf administration. Drawing upon analytical review of a diverse range of available  literature on the subject, the thesis interprets various factors‘ contribution to Pakistani policy  objectives and actions adopted during 2001-2008. It addresses a gap in the relevant literature and  moves beyond the available different causal explanations often contested by different intellectual  complications and political rhetoric.By drawing upon the concept of the security dilemma in the  post 9/11 international politics as a lens to understand the nature of Pakistan‘s regional and  domestic specific security and strategic compulsions, this research investigates and explains the  dynamics which drove Gen. Musharraf‘s pursuit of specific policy action in spite of being nuclear  power, its U-Turn on support for the Taliban. In doing this, it highlights the extent to which  changed post 9/11 Pakistan''s foreign policy reinforced the immediate catalysts for Pakistan''s  global and regional relations in the aftermath of the incident of 9/11. The primary argument of the  thesis is that Musharraf''s post 9/11 foreign policy trends contributed to the hardening of Pakistan''s  strategic, economic, socio-ethno-political perspectives, creating more complexities for Pakistan to  pursue its regional and national policy interests; which were mainly at variance with the US global  objectives in the post 9/11 scenario. Secondly, it argues that Pakistan-US relations during this  period were driven by a ‗Security Dilemma (Complex)'' mindset, causing a shift between US  global and Pakistan''s regional and domestic policy trends and objectives entailing different  transformations. Post Musharraf civilian leadership is still struggling to imbibe post 9/11 Pakistan''s  foreign policy divergent trends to protect Pakistan''s policy objectives.

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