Soon after the fall of Dhaka, the Shaheed founder of Pakistan People's Party and former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto laid the foundation of an independent foreign policy for Pakistan. From Middle East to Far East Asia and South Asia, all countries are looking towards Pakistan for leadership and guidance. Occupying a strategic position, Pakistan is rising as a leader of Middle East and South Asia.
Following the war, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto gave a new direction to Pakistan's foreign policy and swiftly normalised relations with all neighbouring nations including India. He led Pakistan on the road of progress and prosperity by taking the initiative to unite the Muslim world.
After the end of Zia's dictatorial rule, Pakistan People's Party governments carried these reforms further, especially during the presidentship of Asif Ali Zardari.
Today, China is a friendly nation. It was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who laid the foundation of this friendship. After Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister of Pakistan, she expanded these bilateral relations. As the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari took some crucial decisions to enhance trade and bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also attached great importance to Pakistan's relations with Iran. Begum Nusrat Bhutto belonged to Iran, so Bhutto knew a lot about Iran, its history and culture. The same path was followed by his daughter Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Under Asif Ali Zardari, the historic accord on Pak-Iran gas pipeline in spite of global pressure was a testimony to the strength of this relationship.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also took major decisions to expand Pakistan's ties with the Arab countries. The organisation of the Islamic Conference brought all the Muslim leaders of the time onto a single platform, giving them a unified voice in the affairs of the world, for the first time since the end of the Caliphate.
Bhutto's progressive foreign policy was not without its fruits. Pakistan soon gain prominence as a leader of the Muslim world. China helped Pakistan in all fields and especially in defence. Normalisation with India meant the freedom of thousands of prisoners of war and the return of captured territories. On the economic front, even today, overseas Pakistanis are sending in billions of dollars in remittances from Middle Eastern countries which is helping the economy to sustain and grow.
Today, the fruits of our foreign relations are all thanks to the stronger ties Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari have successfully built with the Middle East and the world at large in their respective tenures.
Comments
Comments are closed.