By Sardar Khan Niazi

In a region often characterized by shifting alliances and transactional diplomacy, Islamabad’s posture — particularly on Palestine, the Abraham Accords, regional security initiatives, and tensions involving Iran — reflects a continuity anchored in history, ideology and a deeply rooted moral narrative within its foreign policy. Since the country’s inception under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan has refused to recognize Israel in the absence of a just settlement for the Palestinian people. Successive governments, civilian and military alike, have reiterated support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. This position has remained consistent even as some Muslim-majority, states have recalibrated their ties with Israel. The signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020 marked a significant inflection point in Middle Eastern diplomacy. Brokered under the administration of Donald Trump, the agreements normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates and the Bahrain. While proponents argued that the accords would foster economic integration and regional stability, critics saw them as sidestepping the core political grievances of the Palestinians. Pakistan’s response was measured but firm. Islamabad acknowledged the sovereign right of states to pursue their own foreign policies, yet maintained that durable peace in the Middle East could not be achieved without addressing Palestinian self-determination. This calibrated stance avoided direct confrontation with friendly Gulf partners while signaling that Pakistan’s own policy would not be swayed by regional trends or external pressure. Equally significant is Pakistan’s position on regional security initiatives. The Middle East has witnessed numerous proposals for security architectures — from US-led coalitions aimed at countering terrorism to more recent efforts to forge alignments against Iran. Pakistan has consistently avoided entanglement in bloc politics that could pit it against fellow Muslim states. Its parliament’s 2015 decision to remain neutral in the Yemen conflict exemplified this caution, underscoring the country’s reluctance to be drawn into intra-regional rivalries. Tensions involving Iran present another delicate dimension. Sharing a long border with Iran, Pakistan must balance security concerns with the imperatives of neighborly cooperation. Periodic strains — whether over border security, sectarian spillovers, or broader geopolitical competition between Tehran and Gulf capitals — have tested this equilibrium. Yet Islamabad has repeatedly emphasized dialogue and de-escalation, mindful that instability along its western frontier would carry profound domestic repercussions. Pakistan’s approach is thus less about strategic aloofness and more about principled pragmatism. It seeks to preserve solidarity with the Muslim world without becoming an instrument of great-power rivalries. It aims to uphold international law and self-determination while safeguarding its own security and economic interests. Critics argue that such a stance risks marginalizing Pakistan in a rapidly transforming Middle East. As economic corridors, energy partnerships and new diplomatic alignments reshape the region, there are voices at home urging a reassessment of long-standing policies, particularly in light of shifting global power balances and Pakistan’s own economic challenges. Yet foreign policy cannot be divorced from national identity. For a country founded amid debates over Muslim political rights and self-determination, the Palestinian cause resonates beyond mere geopolitics. Similarly, avoiding sectarian entanglements reflects both domestic imperatives and a broader vision of Muslim unity. Continuity, however, does not preclude adaptability. Pakistan must remain engaged with all regional actors, expand economic diplomacy, and contribute constructively to conflict resolution efforts. Its moral commitments need not be at odds with strategic foresight. In an era of fluid alignments, Pakistan’s Middle East policy stands as an assertion that principle and pragmatism need not be mutually exclusive. The challenge ahead lies in sustaining this balance –ensuring that fidelity to foundational ideals enhances, rather than constrains, the country’s role in a region whose turbulence shows little sign of abating.