ISLAMABAD – Veteran politician and defense analyst Mushahid Hussain Syed has declared that Pakistan has undergone a major “paradigm shift” in its foreign policy, becoming a crucial player in Middle Eastern affairs for the first time since the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto era.
Speaking on a Hum News program with journalist Asma Shirazi, Syed argued that Pakistan’s international standing has significantly improved. “Pakistan is being looked upon with respect simultaneously in Washington, Beijing, Moscow, Riyadh, and Tehran,” he stated. “Khamenei, Trump, Putin, Mohammed bin Salman, and Xi Jinping all respect Pakistan. We have access and influence there.”
Given this enhanced role, Syed proposed a proactive step for Pakistan in the ongoing Gaza conflict. “We should join the non-Arab Muslim force for Gaza,” he urged.
Elaborating on the foreign policy shift, he asserted, “After the agreement with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan is, in a way, a part of the Middle East. People are looking towards us and seeing that there is strength in Pakistan.”
Syed also advocated for a decisive break from past strategies, particularly concerning Afghanistan. “The policy we adopted regarding Afghanistan for 30 years resulted in losses for us,” he said. “Now, that’s their business. We have nothing to do with it.”
(Source: Hum News)