Pakistan’s growing clout

The remarks by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore are significant not merely because of the praise they contain, but what they reveal about Pakistan’s evolving place in global diplomacy. Describing Pakistan as a true friend and commending Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role in efforts aimed at reviving dialogue between Washington and Tehran, Hegseth’s words reflect a growing international recognition of Pakistan’s diplomatic relevance and constructive engagement in regional affairs. Indeed, Pakistan has emerged as an important diplomatic actor capable of contributing to peace and conflict resolution. This is the success of a foreign policy approach rooted in pragmatism, strategic balance and constructive engagement. Credit goes to our civilian and military leadership, whose vision and foresight helped reposition the country as a responsible stakeholder in regional peace and stability. Pakistan’s relationship with the US has never been a straightforward one. Over the decades, it has witnessed periods of close cooperation followed by phases of mistrust and divergence. For a long time, Washington largely viewed Pakistan through the prism of Afghanistan and broader security challenges associated with that conflict and as circumstances changed, so too dynamics of the bilateral relationship. Today, however, there are encouraging signs that ties between Islamabad and Washington are moving in a more positive direction. Since President Donald Trump’s return to office, engagement between the two countries has visibly increased. More importantly, there appears to be a greater appreciation in Washington of Pakistan’s role in promoting regional stability, facilitating dialogue and preventing conflicts from escalating into wider crises. Such recognition is not earned overnight, it is product of consistent diplomatic effort and a willingness to contribute constructively to internat