Pakistan's Strategic Calculations and Policy Responses Towards Afghanistan

Abstract

Traditionally, Pakistan’s foreign policy responses towards Afghanistan have been predominantly shadowed by the former’s security apprehension towards India and any Indian closeness towards Afghanistan raised serious suspicions in Islamabad. Pakistan’s policy makers continued to see Afghanistan from the Indian prism even after 9/11, even when Pakistan become an ally of the US in the War against Terror to overthrow the Afghan Taliban, Islamabad former ally. As a frontline ally of the US, Pakistan provided all the necessary support to the US to dethrone the Afghan Taliban from Kabul and apprehend Al Qaeda militants. However, Islamabad performance against the War on Terror was compromised when India established a strong foothold in Afghanistan by developing close relations with the Anti Pakistan forces in Afghanistan. This article argues the Pakistan’s strategic calculations demanded the country to maintain an alliance with the US and at the same time to limit Indian role in Afghanistan.