OPINION Vol.1, No.1 June 2013 - National Defence University

years and yet an air of distrust still persists. In terms of military expenditure as a percentage of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), expenditure of South Asian countries is as under:- 54
India - 2.4 %
Pakistan - 2.7 %
Sri Lanka - 2.1 %
Bangladesh - 2.4 %
In the socio-political side, 260 million people lack access to rudimentary health facilities, 337
million lack safe drinking water, over 400 million people go hungry every day and the average public
health expenditure stands at 1.7 per cent of the region’s GDP. 55 These are the peculiar dynamics of South
Asian countries and other developing nations which are often a hindrance in the realization of
phenomena of globalization.
Challenges in Geo-Politics
Foreign Policy Making
Sovereignty in Decision-Making. Very few developed countries in the world are sovereign
enough to formulate their own foreign policies. In Pak-US relations, even though Pakistan has
largely adopted policies best suited for its vital interests; however, US continues to influence our
foreign policy, albeit, mostly unsuccessfully.
Effects of Alliance of Weaker Countries with Powerful States. Powerful states often create
or hypothesize an enemy and force all allied states to consider that enemy as theirs. Case in point
is Pakistan joining the American Bloc; consequently developing hostile relations with the
erstwhile the USSR.
Domestic Public Policy
Terrorism. Globalization is an enabler and facilitator of terrorism by all aspects especially cash
flow, migration and media savvy environment. Pakistan cannot close its physical and cognitive
borders for these essential elements of globalization. The challenge therefore is to develop robust
mechanisms to obviate potential exploitation by VNSAs.
Good Governance. With enhanced public awareness and media glare, Pakistan is faced with a
huge challenge of good governance and socio-economic development.
Undermining the Traditional Nation-State System
Imagined Communities. Making use of the social media; women-rights’ activists,
environmentalists and other social workers have formed an imagined community which is
affecting the traditional notion of supremacy of the Nation State.
Spirit of Nationalism vis-à-vis Socio-Political Improvement. Poor and economically
down-trodden people tend to associate themselves more with the state. They tend to draw
strength from the state which leads to development of supreme sense of nationalism.
Conversely, the affluent and bourgeois class of the society adopts a Western style
‘Democratic Individualism’ approach which is fairly secular in nature. 56 This diametrically
opposite mind-set along with the growing economic gulf has plagued the Pakistani polity
thereby creating polarity and extremism. The traditional nation-state system is also
affected by it.
Growing Secessionist Movement. Balochistan imbroglio is decades old and as such not
an outcome of globalization. Globalization has however furthered it. Some disenchanted
Baloch leaders are operating from abroad and causing unrest in the restive province. In the
absence of any extradition treaty, these self-exiled leaders are operating with impunity.
Support to this insurgency through cash flow and movement of people is also an
undeniable fact. Discussion of the issue in US Congressional Committee Meeting suggests
that the internal matters of Pakistan are an international matter now on the pretext of
human rights’ violation.
OPINION Vol.1 No.1 71 June 2013