Abstract
Pakistan’s Afghan policies, so consequential for its neighbour, have also had a deep impact on the country’s political landscape and society. This article examines how Pakistan has pursued a two-track foreign policy toward Afghanistan that often encompasses incompatible goals. Pakistan’s leaders have also frequently ignored the long-term and wider implications of their policies domestically and regionally. The discussion looks at the consequences of Afghan policies for Pakistan’s national identity and social cohesion. The means by which Islamabad governments have dealt with the challenge of Pashtun nationalism and its contribution to the development of ethnic assertiveness and Islamic radicalism are next examined. The article then describes the role of Afghan policies in transforming Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan and the wider implications for the state’s legitimacy and authority. It also points out the Pakistan Government’s ambivalence in its relationship toward militant extremists. A subsequent section considers the costs and rewards of Pakistan’s Afghan policies internationally; and Pakistan’s strategic partnership with the United States, including its impact on the domestic economy and public attitudes, receives particular attention. Finally, the article recognises that, while Pakistan’s politics have entered a transitional stage, its Afghan policies are likely to continue to affect ethnic fissures, religious radicalism, and the legitimate authority of the state.
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