A Messenger In the Guise Of A Mediator

While it will try to take credit for the success of any peace deal that will end the US-Iran war, history will bear testimony that several other players, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Oman, also had a significant role. 

Pakistan, as the focal point of any geopolitical strategy, would be fraught with danger. Firstly, it is not a modern nation-state in the real sense of the term. 

Secondly, it will demand a huge pound of flesh as an economic bailout, given its fledgling economy. Islamabad has worked out a financial deal with Riyadh, and a package is being arranged from Washington. It is also trying to woo China for additional grants and loans. While Islamabad will attempt to showcase itself as a global peacemaker to whitewash charges against the promotion of cross-border terror, any efforts to end the war do not, and cannot, absolve Islamabad’s role in creating havoc through cross-border terror and extremism.   

An Economy In Doldrums

Pakistan’s economy has been stagnating for years, with the political class and military committed to accumulating personal wealth and investing it abroad. 

It is constrained by structural issues and characterised by a chronically narrow tax base, heavy reliance on imports, falling export competitiveness, and persistent energy sector inefficiencies. 

These structural imbalances repeatedly trigger balance-of-payments crises, forcing the country into frequent International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailouts to stabilise growth. Pakistan’s export basket lacks diversification, heavily leaning on textiles. 

This narrow focus, compounded by high domestic energy costs and a lack of technological advancement, makes the country highly uncompetitive globally. Pakistan suffers from a poor Human Capital Index score, reflecting systemic gaps in education, health, and nutrition. A lack of investment in vocational training and modern technology results in low productivity per capita across the agricultural and industrial sectors. 

Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharjee, Senior Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi, in a paper titled, The Fledgling Pakistani Economy: A Brief Assessment, had pointed out that: “Pakistan continues to face serious economic challenges, with regard to high public debt, abysmal fiscal policies, and reliance of the economy on external financing.”

“The government has failed to bring foreign investors and privatise its loss-making public-sector entities. The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which was established in June 2023, also failed to bring in any major foreign investment, as the issues of bureaucratic corruption and lack of political will remain a major impediment,” the research paper read. 

Further, as per the World Bank, more than one-third of school-age children in Pakistan are not enrolled in school, and nearly two-thirds of those attending in FY2024 lacked basic learning outcomes. Additionally, malnutrition remained widespread, affecting 40% of children in FY2023. The paper further flagged key structural challenges denting economic growth — ongoing fiscal and current account deficits, protectionist trade practices, low agricultural productivity, an unfavourable business climate, excessive state involvement in the economy, and an unsustainable energy sector. 

Deep-Rooted Alliance With China

The China factor cannot be overlooked, either. The Pakistan-China nexus is a deep-rooted strategic, military, and economic alliance centred on mutual geopolitical interests. Pakistan relies on China as a primary patron and arms supplier. China provides the vast majority of Pakistan's military hardware, including advanced fighter jets, naval vessels, and missile systems.

This deep cooperation allows China to utilise Pakistan as a strategic testing ground for its military technology. Operation Sindoor is a testimony to that. 

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship infrastructure project of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to link western China to the port of Gwadar. As of 2026, the progress of CPEC continues, serving to boost Pakistan's energy and transport infrastructure, while giving China direct access to the Indian Ocean. 

China provides staunch diplomatic support to Pakistan on the global stage, frequently shielding it from international scrutiny and blocking UN sanctions against Pakistan-based terror operatives and extremists. 

Pakistan is also the key pillar to further China’s global ambitions. This is reason enough for the international community to call out Pakistan’s bluff and limit partnership.  

(The writer is a commentator on geopolitics and geoeconomics. Views expressed are personal.)