Pakistan : Yesterday and today in world

Pakistan today stands at a critical juncture where its internal and external policies are deeply intertwined. The country’s geopolitics during 2025–2026 has been evolving rapidly across several key fronts: the strengthening of its “iron-clad” ties with China, persistent tensions with India, direct military clashes along the Afghanistan-Taliban border, the emergence of new security pacts with Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the Middle East, and growing security challenges from the TTP and Baloch separatists amid economic pressures tied to IMF conditions.

 

China-Pakistan: A New Chapter in the “All-Weather” Partnership

China remains Pakistan’s most important strategic partner. In January 2026, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar visited Beijing, where both countries held the Seventh Round of the China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue. These talks covered strategic-political, defence-security, economy-trade-investment, and cultural exchanges, and both sides agreed to advance the “Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era” for 2025–2029. It was also announced that 2026 would mark the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, signaling a commitment to cementing this relationship as a “generation-to-generation” friendship.

 

In defence matters, China continues to be Pakistan’s largest supplier of military equipment; Chinese-built J-10C fighters were even deployed during the India-Pakistan aerial battles in May 2025. Thus, even as India-China relations see cautious diplomatic engagement, China’s strategic presence in South Asia remains firmly anchored through Pakistan.

 

India-Pakistan: Old Rivalry, New Context

Geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan remained at their peak in 2025–2026. According to Pew Research’s August 2026 survey, nearly 90% of Pakistanis hold an unfavorable view of India, while 78% of Indians hold an unfavorable view of Pakistan. Citizens of both countries see each other as their biggest geopolitical threat: 54% of Indians named Pakistan, and 43% of Pakistanis named India, as their greatest threat.

 

The May 2025 aerial clash and subsequent events underscore the deep mistrust between the two nations on issues such as Kashmir, border violations, and cross-border militancy. Additionally, India’s growing economic engagement with Afghanistan (becoming Afghanistan’s largest export market in 2025) has heightened Pakistan’s strategic concerns.

 

Afghanistan-Taliban: Direct Border Clashes

The most serious front in 2025–2026 has been Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan. Border tensions that began in October 2025 escalated into direct military confrontations by 2026. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of allowing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan soil and carry out cross-border attacks; the Taliban denies this and calls it Pakistan’s internal problem.

 

In February 2026, Afghan forces launched a cross-border offensive, prompting Pakistan to conduct coordinated air-ground strikes on military installations in Kabul, Kandahar, and border areas. On March 16, 2026, a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul reportedly killed 269 civilians and injured 122, according to UN reports—highlighting the human cost of this conflict. As a result, the border was virtually sealed, trade came to a standstill, and both sides suffered economic losses.

 

Middle East: A New Strategic Calculus with Saudi Arabia and Turkey

Pakistan is reshaping its traditional Gulf ties within a new strategic framework. On September 17, 2025, Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) with Saudi Arabia, positioning itself as an active player in Middle Eastern rivalries. In January 2026, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey announced talks on a broader defence agreement, raising the possibility of a treaty-based collective defence system akin to NATO.

 

This nexus benefits Pakistan on both economic and security fronts: Saudi deposits and oil facilities support foreign reserves, while defence cooperation with Turkey offers opportunities to modernize military capabilities. Moreover, limited fighting with Iran in 2025 and regional developments related to Qatar and Israel have further drawn Pakistan into the Middle East’s security architecture.

 

Economy: IMF Conditions, $10 Billion Request to the US, and Reserve Pressures

Pakistan’s economy has been operating under a strict IMF program since narrowly avoiding default in 2023. In September 2024, it secured a $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which required politically unpopular steps such as tax hikes, spending cuts, and energy-sector reforms. By July 2026, Pakistan reportedly sought a $10 billion exchange stabilization facility from the United States to bolster foreign reserves, ease pressure on the rupee, and reduce reliance on multilateral financing.

 

The Asian Development Bank has upgraded Pakistan’s growth outlook for 2025–2026 and noted that prices of key food items have begun to stabilize, but structural issues such as fiscal deficit, circular debt, and energy subsidies remain significant. For the IMF’s fourth review (September 2026) and fifth review (March 2027), Pakistan must complete measures such as amending the Sovereign Wealth Fund Act and implementing energy-tariff reforms.

 

Internal Security: Surge in TTP and Balochistan Violence

Pakistan’s biggest challenge now comes from its western provinces—Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In July 2026, Balochistan recorded 176 terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings and complex ambushes. Alongside the TTP, Baloch nationalist groups such as the BLA and BRAS have maintained their operational capabilities and expanded the scope of violence into Pashtun areas. 

Security forces have killed numerous militants in intelligence-based operations, but attacks on civilian infrastructure, IEDs, and ambushes continue. While 2025 was described as the “deadliest” year for terrorists in Pakistan, the threat to security forces and civilians remains high in 2026. This security crisis not only weakens internal stability but also poses risks to foreign investment and projects like CPEC.

Conclusion: Pakistan’s Path Ahead

Pakistan’s recent geopolitics can be summed up as “multi-front pressure.” On one hand, strategic depth is increasing through ties with China and the Saudi-Turkey axis; on the other, tensions with India and Afghanistan are at their peak. Economically, efforts to achieve stability under IMF conditions continue, but dependence on a potential $10 billion US facility and Gulf rollovers remains. Most concerning is that internal security—especially in Balochistan and against the TTP—is testing Pakistan’s state capacity.

 

If Pakistan adopts a balanced strategy across these four fronts—China/Gulf ties, India-Afghanistan tensions, IMF-led economic reforms, and internal counter-insurgency—then 2026–2027 could be a defining period. However, if control slips on even one front, the entire geopolitical equation could shift again.