Domestic Challenges for Pakistan’s Foreign Policy during Nawaz Sharif’s Third Prime Ministerial Term

Abstract

Pakistan’s significance in global politics can’t be ignored in view of being its status as the only Muslim nuclear power in the world. It is at the forefront of two contrasting avenues of global posture i.e. Global War against Terrorism in Afghanistan and cross-regional connectivity venture of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Despite Pakistan’s significance and relevance in world politics, the opportunities for Pakistan’s foreign policy at the external front are met by some severe challenges at the domestic front. Minimum measures of transparency and accountability with the added lack of checks and balances in Pakistan’s foreign policy can be highlighted by the lack of consistency and sustainability in the democratization process. This paper is an attempt to highlight the domestic challenges for Pakistan’s foreign policy during the third term of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It will examine the domestic challenges in view of state of security, role of Nawaz Sharif as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, role of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and institutional imbalances in Pakistan’s foreign policy during Nawaz Sharif’s third term.