Abstract
Pakistan’s Foreign Policy 1947-2016 - A Concise History is the fourth edition of the book written by Abdul Sattar, published originally in 2007, outlining the foreign policy choices made by Pakistan since its inception to 2016. The book includes a foreword by late Agha Shahi, who was twice Foreign Minister of Pakistan, once from July to October 1993 and again from 1977 to 1982, and was also Foreign Secretary from 1973 to 1977. This latest edition of the book includes an updated view of Pakistan’s foreign policy since 2012. Given his experience as a foreign policy practitioner, as well as having served as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India from 19781982 and again from 1990-1992, the book has a great deal of credibility. Information in the book draws from not only references from other published sources but the author’s own professional perception of foreign policy issues while he was in service.
The book begins with a brief introduction to the history of the independence of the sub-continent from British rule, which led to the creation of Pakistan and an account of its early relations with neighbours and big powers. This is encapsulated within two chapters. In the subsequent chapter, the author discusses the Kashmir issue, which materialized as soon as Pakistan and India came into being; the two neighbours came to blows over the disputed territory of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 and fought two wars subsequently. The initial armed conflict ended in January 1949 but resulted in no resolution and consequently came to shape much of the resentment and mistrust between the two states for the years to come.