Editing Foreign relations of Pakistan (section)

===Historical overview===

{{Further|Arab–Pakistan relations|Pakistan–United Kingdom relations|Pakistan–Soviet Union relations|Pakistan–European Union relations|Uniting for Consensus}}

Since its [[Independence of Pakistan|independence in 1947]], Pakistan's foreign policy has encompassed difficult relations with the neighbouring [[Soviet Union]] (USSR) who maintained a close military and ideological interaction with the neighbouring countries such as [[Communist Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] (in the [[North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan|West]]) and [[India]] (in [[Eastern Pakistan|East]]).<ref name="US country studies">{{cite web|last=United States Government|title=History of Foreign policy of Pakistan|url=http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/82.htm|work=United States Government|publisher=US country studies|access-date=19 November 2012}}</ref> During most of 1947–1991, the USSR support was given to [[Republic of India]], over which it has fought three wars on [[Kashmir conflict]].<ref name="US country studies"/> During the 1960s, Pakistan's relations with and neighbouring [[Afghanistan]] have also been extremely difficult due to the latter's contest over the [[Durand Line]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Durand Line boundary, Asia |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Durand-Line |website=Britannica|date=14 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan-Afghanistan relations |url=https://pakistan.fes.de/e/pakistan-afghanistan-relations |website=Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung}}</ref> The foreign relations with [[Iran]], [[Turkey]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mushtaq |first=Nadia |date=2004 |title=Pak-Turkey Relations: Towards a Cooperative Future |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45242527 |journal=Strategic Studies |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=89–116 |jstor=45242527 |issn=1029-0990}}</ref> [[Saudi Arabia]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Relations |url=https://parepjeddah.org/pakistan-ksa-relations/ |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=Consulate General of Pakistan, Jeddah |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[People's Republic of China|China]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=How China and Pakistan Forged Close Ties |url=https://www.cfr.org/article/how-china-and-pakistan-forged-close-ties |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=Council on Foreign Relations |language=en}}</ref> remain important and based on the extensive cooperation in national security and economical interests in the [[Persian Gulf]] and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. With the [[sphere of influence|growing influence]] of the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] in the region, Pakistan cemented close security relations with [[People's Republic of China|China]] in Asia and [[United Kingdom]] and [[Germany]] in Europe during most of the [[Cold War]]. Pakistan has had a fluctuating relationship with the [[United States]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rethinking US-Pakistan Relations in the Age of Great Power Competition |url=https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/03/rethinking-us-pakistan-relations-age-great-power-competition |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311030807/https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/03/rethinking-us-pakistan-relations-age-great-power-competition |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 March 2023 |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=United States Institute of Peace |language=en}}</ref> Pakistan played a crucial role in the establishment of US-China relations in the 1970s, mediating between the Henry Kissenger and Mao Zedong.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=The Newspaper's Staff |date=2021-03-22 |title=Kissinger recognises Pakistan's role in establishing China-US ties |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1613819 |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=dawn.com  |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=alpha.singh |date=2021-11-06 |title=How Kissinger's Secret Trip to China Paved Way for Sino-US Relations |url=https://www.wondriumdaily.com/how-kissingers-secret-trip-to-china-paved-way-for-sino-us-relations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006033430/https://www.wondriumdaily.com/how-kissingers-secret-trip-to-china-paved-way-for-sino-us-relations/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 October 2022 |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=Wondrium Daily |language=en-US }}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Foreign relations 1969–1976 |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/nixon/xi/45650.htm |website=US department of state}}</ref> At the same time, it also assisted in establishing relationships with other East Asian countries.<ref name=":3" />

In recent years, Pakistan's ties with Russia have moved away from Cold War-era hostilities,<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Russia–Pakistan Relations and the Constraints of Geoeconomics |url=https://online.ucpress.edu/as/article/62/5-6/838/194531/Russia-Pakistan-Relations-and-the-Constraints-of |access-date=2023-07-11 |journal=Asian Survey|date=2022 |doi=10.1525/as.2022.1801312 |last1=Clary |first1=Christopher |volume=62 |issue=5–6 |pages=838–865 }}</ref> and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the U.S. has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.<ref name="Imran"/><ref>{{Cite web |editor=Sarmad Ishfaq |title=The Pakistan-Russia-China Bloc: A Consequence of US Actions |url= https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/pakistan-russia-china/|website=www.paradigmshift.com |date=18 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin as [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia was launching the invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hashim |first=Asad |title=Pakistani PM Khan meets Putin amid Ukraine invasion |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/25/pakistan-imran-putin-russia-ukraine-invasion |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Siddique |first=Abubakar |date=2022-02-25 |title=Pakistani Prime Minister's 'Ill-Timed' Moscow Visit Overshadowed By Ukraine Invasion |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-khan-moscow-visit-ukraine/31723286.html |access-date=2023-07-11}}</ref> He has previously criticised America's "[[War on terror|War on Terror]]".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-13 |title=Imran criticises war on terror as misguided venture |url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/02/13/us-war-on-terror-bred-more-terrorists-pm-imran-tells-cnn/ |access-date=2023-07-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> After the fall of the [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]] (PTI) -led coalition government in 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Pakistan's always-troubled democracy is on the brink once again |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/pakistans-always-troubled-democracy-is-on-the-brink-once-again/ |website=Brookings}}</ref> the emergence of multiple crises has exacerbated the instability of its foreign policy.<ref name=A/>