Pakistan is reaching diplomatic heights never seen before in its 78-year history. From Riyadh to Baku, Beijing to Moscow, Pakistan’s handshake now spans continents and draws attention. From Jeddah to Doha, Astana to Tashkent, Pakistan is establishing a new arc of trust across the Muslim world. From London to Brussels, from Washington to Beijing, Pakistan is no longer on the sidelines; is back in the conversation.
From Isolation to Strategic Adoption: A US Reset Unlocks Access to Multitrillion-Dollar Programs: EXIM, IMF, World Bank, DFC, IFC. A restart in the United States means cheaper capital, longer tenors and renewed investor confidence. A US reset brings with it technology transfers in energy, digital finance and renewable energy.
A US reset means AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) worth $2.5 billion. An American reset is not just a foreign policy change but an economic lifeline wrapped in diplomacy.
There is $3.5 billion in limited resource project financing for Reko Diq from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the Export-Import Bank (US EXIM), Export Development Canada (EDC), Germany’s KfW IPEX-Bank, Sweden’s EKN and Finland’s Finnvera Oyj.
A historic Saudi Defense Pact marks Pakistan’s deepest tie-up in the Gulf in 78 years. Along with the pact comes a $3 billion deposit extension, $2 billion worth of investment memorandums of understanding and a $1 billion oil facility. A labor export deal worth $8 billion and a “Hangor-class” diesel-electric submarine export deal between China and Pakistan (the China-Pakistan deal is worth $5 billion).
In the year (2025), 4.6 billion dollars in JF-17 sales were recorded to Azerbaijan (June). In 2025, a pact with Sudan worth $230 million was signed (May). The year saw the confirmation of the $7 billion ML-1 railway. A $2 billion Karachi-Rohri upgrade occurred. Transit logistical and commercial links were observed between Pakistan and Kazakhstan. That year saw a trade escalation target between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates of $20 billion.
Yes, Pakistan is ready to play a central role in shaping the emerging Middle East security architecture. Imagine: Pakistan is moving from being an “observer” to an “architect”.
For an ordinary Pakistani, the $3.5 billion Reko Diq funding and the $7 billion ML-1 railway upgrade, along with the $2 billion Karachi-Rohri upgrades, will create 100,000 to 200,000 jobs in mining, construction and logistics. For an ordinary Pakistani, the $8 billion Saudi labor export deal and the UAE’s $20 billion trade target could employ more than 300,000 workers abroad. Yes, the $4.6 billion JF-17 sale to Azerbaijan, the $230 million Sudan pact and the $2.5 billion AMRAAM deal indicate a strong defense sector.
For the first time, Pakistan’s foreign policy, defense exports and economic reach are advancing in sync. For the first time, Pakistan is building alliances, not dependencies.
Imagine, Pakistan now has the status of “protector of the Ummah”. Imagine, Riyadh now sees Islamabad not only as a “security partner” but as a “coarchitect of regional stability.” Let’s imagine that Pakistan is moving from being an “aid recipient” to a “guarantor of security.” Imagine, from a “security recipient” to a “security partner”.
The dividends of Pakistan’s diplomacy will be visible where it matters most: in jobs, energy stability and public morale.
The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. He tweets/posts @saleemfarrukh and can be reached at: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of PakGazette.tv.
Originally published in The News
