Navigating Multipolarity and Pakistan’s Strategy of Balancing Great Powers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62843/jrsr/2025.4d148Keywords:
Pakistan Foreign Policy, Multipolar World, Great Powers, Balancing, Hedging, NeorealismAbstract
The gradual transition of the international system from unipolarity to multipolarity has profoundly altered the foreign policy behavior of middle powers. Pakistan, historically embedded in alliance politics, now confronts a complex strategic environment shaped by intensifying great power competition, economic interdependence, and regional instability. This study examines Pakistan’s foreign policy choices in an emerging multipolar world, focusing on how Islamabad balances relations among major powers while pursuing strategic autonomy. Drawing on neorealist theory and the concept of hedging, the article argues that Pakistan has shifted away from rigid alliance dependence toward a more flexible strategy that combines balancing, hedging, and selective engagement. Through qualitative analysis of Pakistan’s relations with China, the United States, Russia, and regional actors, the study highlights both opportunities and constraints shaping Pakistan’s evolving diplomatic posture.
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