Pakistan is reaching diplomatic heights not seen in its 78-year history. From Riyadh to Baku, from Beijing to Moscow, Pakistan’s handshake now spans continents and commands attention. From Jeddah to Doha, from Astana to Tashkent, Pakistan is anchoring a new arc of trust in the Muslim world. From London to Brussels, from Washington to Beijing, Pakistan is no longer on the edge; it’s back in the conversation.
From isolation to strategic embrace: a US reset unlocks access to multi-billion dollar programs – EXIM, IMF, World Bank, DFC, IFC. A US reset means cheaper capital, longer maturities and revived investor confidence. A US reset brings technology transfers in energy, digital finance and renewable energy.
A US reset means $2.5 billion AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) missiles. An American reset is not just a foreign policy shift, but an economic lifeline wrapped in diplomacy.
There is $3.5 billion in limited use project financing for Reko Diq by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Export-Import Bank (US EXIM), Export Development Canada (EDC), Germany’s KfW IPEX-Bank, Sweden’s EKN and Finland’s Finnvera Oyj.
A landmark Saudi defense pact marks Pakistan’s deepest Gulf ties in 78 years. Along with the pact comes an extension of the deposit of 3 billion dollars, investment moUs for 2 billion dollars and an oil facility of 1 billion dollars. An $8 billion labor export agreement and an export of diesel-electric ‘Hangor-class’ submarine agreement between China and Pakistan and the China-Pakistan agreement is worth $5 billion.
The year (2025) saw $4.6 billion in JF-17 sales to Azerbaijan (June). In 2025, a $230 million Sudan pact was made (May). The year saw the $7 billion ML-1 rail confirmation. It saw a $2 billion Karachi-Rohri upgrade. It saw Pakistan-Kazakhstan transit trade and logistics links. The year brought Pakistan-UAE trade escalation targets of $20 billion.
Yes, Pakistan is ready to play a central role in shaping the new Middle Eastern security architecture. Imagine, Pakistan is moving from ‘observer’ to ‘architect’.
For an ordinary Pakistani, the $3.5 billion Reko Diq funding and $7 billion ML-1 rail upgrade along with $2 billion Karachi-Rohri upgrades will create 100,000-200,000 jobs in mining, construction and logistics. For a common Pakistani, the $8 billion Saudi labor export deal and the $20 billion UAE trade target could employ 300,000+ workers abroad. Yes, $4.6 billion JF-17 sales to Azerbaijan, $230 million Sudan pact and a $2.5 billion AMRAAM deal signal a robust defense sector.
For the first time, Pakistan’s foreign policy, defense exports and economic expansion are moving in sync. For the first time, Pakistan is building alliances, not dependencies.
Imagine, Pakistan now has the status of ‘protector of the Ummah’. Imagine that Riyadh now sees Islamabad not only as a ‘security partner’ but as a ‘co-architect of regional stability’. Imagine Pakistan moving from an ‘aid recipient’ to a ‘security guarantor’. Imagine going from a ‘security recipient’ to a ‘security partner’.
The payoff of Pakistan’s diplomacy will be visible where it matters most – in employment, energy stability and public morale.
The author is a columnist based in Islamabad. He tweets/posts @saleemfarrukh and can be reached at: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Pakinomist.tv’s editorial policy.
Originally published in The News
