In recent days, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, expressed promising views about its relations with Afghanistan, India, and regional cooperation. In regard to Afghanistan, he said, “Pakistan has stopped seeking strategic depth in Afghanistan and wants to ensure that there is a friendly government in Afghanistan.” In regard to India, he showed readiness for talks over the Kashmir issue asking India to give a roadmap for constructive negotiation. In regard to regional cooperation with referring to the example of the European Union, he said “it is common sense that if you want to reduce poverty in the subcontinent, the best way is to trade with each other,” he said as media reports quoted.   The promising expression of Imran Khan comes when the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China held a video conference discussing the issues of regional security and economic cooperation between the three countries. It is said that the three neighboring countries have had constructive meetings about the issues of regional security and economic cooperation amongst the three countries. Around the same time, the President of Tajikistan visited Islamabad and held a high-level strategic dialogue with Pakistan’s government and State institutions. During the course of this visit, the two countries signed MoUs concerning economic cooperation, regional connectivity, and defense sales/cooperation.  The simultaneity of these events in the span of a few last days seems a promising shift in Pakistan’s strategic policy. As articulated, on numerous occasions, by the Prime Minister and the Army Chief of Pakistan, it seems that Pakistan is now moving away from the traditional regional and security doctrine, and instead adopting a more ‘econo-security’ matrix, which focuses on regional connectivity, and access to Central Asia and beyond.  Given the fruitlessness of confrontation policies of the past, and given that there is a global consensus against the re-establishment of Islamic Emirate, it is hoped that everyone forgets the past and builds the future on mutual respect. However, some of the Afghan politicians expressed skepticism about Pakistan’s real intentions saying that only time can show its real intention whether this country leaves its traditional policy regarding Afghanistan or not. Traditionally, Pakistan’s ‘national security doctrine has been focused around the development of conventional and nuclear firepower with a strategic depth policy in Afghanistan. Now, the old doctrine of Pakistan’s policy appeared to be obsolete in a world where conventional battles have been replaced by the elusive notion of a hybrid war. For example, Iran has not been attacked through physical wars; it was ‘attacked’ through economic embargo and international isolation. Accordingly, many of the world powers and global empires were defeated in a conventional and face-to-face war in Afghanistan, but the proxy fighters have seriously challenged the country.  Also, no war did cripple India over the past years, but the collapse of healthcare infrastructure and infighting has seriously challenged the country in recent weeks and months. No war has challenged China and its power in the region, but economic power and regional connectivity may do so in the future.
Anyway, if the new wording and position of Pakistan are materialized, it will be promising for the whole region, especially Afghanistan and Pakistan. While the implementation of this ideology will require consistency in political will and a conducive domestic environment, the endeavor itself is admirable and meaningful. Because the world is changing and so Pakistan must change with it accordingly. The past two decades of international policy and regional strategy have been a tremendous challenge for Pakistan and Afghanistan. The aftermath of 9/11 and the consequent war in Afghanistan have not only held back Afghanistan but also imposed heavy economic costs on Pakistan, well.
While Pakistan was still trying to grapple with this new policy paradigm, its traditional rival India pushed its global agenda forth. Specifically, it portrayed itself as a counterweight to China in this region while Pakistan’s economy has decayed due to long involvement in the conflicts of Afghanistan.  It was said that Delhi had convinced the Pentagon that it could serve as a counterweight to China in the Pacific region while Pakistan has been more isolated in political and economic areas. For example, after the construction of Chabahar Port, the trading activities between Afghanistan, India, and beyond have increased while it has decreased the economic relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In general, there is no way for Pakistan to reach the central Asia market without cooperation of Afghanistan and shifting its foreign policy. Islamabad might have realized that regional connectivity, for Pakistan, is going to be the key to sustained peace and progress. Such connectivity will embody the new ‘econo-security’ doctrine of the modern age. For this purpose, in the months and years to come, Pakistan must deepen its (economic) relationship with Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries via Afghanistan. It must develop ‘East-West’ connectivity channels, which integrate with the CPEC route, making Pakistan an important strategic partner with Central Asia, Afghanistan, and beyond. In fact, it’s high time that all the south Asian countries learn from the history of European countries as they passed the worst historic war and long tensions, but later they could open a new chapter of friendship and co-existence. For example, during the First World War and Second World War, the realistic-minded policies led to more than a hundred thousand causalities, but it could not hold them back to open constructive relationships and unions.  Based on the above points, the recent Pakistan, China, and Afghan foreign ministers dialogue can become an important platform for the three sides to enhance understanding, if Islamabad shows practical will in bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan. Currently, the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan is being accelerated, but the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan has been challenged, armed conflicts and terrorist activities have become increasingly frequent, and the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region are facing new challenges. As a first step in the new chapter, Afghans expect Pakistan to practically put pleasure on the Taliban to accept ceasefire with effective promotion of the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Secondly, the solution to the Afghan problem should fully embody the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned principle. Afghanistan should become an independent, sovereign, and neutral country, pursue a moderate policy and live in harmony with other countries, especially neighboring countries. And lastly, given the geo-economic location of Afghanistan, Afghan people are in the favor of exploring effective ways of cooperation promoting regional connectivity with the cooperation of Pakistan and other neighboring countries.