PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA: ESTRANGED CLIENT VERSUS PATRONS COMPETITION

Abstract

Patron-Client approach as via medium can be helpful in bridging the gap between the distinct perspectives of political economy and strategic realism that dominates the contemporary literature on Pakistan’s relations with major powers such as the US and China. It not only bridges the gap between strategic realism but also political economy debates while connecting the internal dynamics of Pakistan with its foreign policy behavior. Pakistan as client of the US and China has been defined as an estranged client which behaves autonomously of patrons which is connected to its role termed as strategic and policing client over different stages of its foreign policy history. Pakistan has remained as a strategic client simultaneously of China and the US during and after the cold war while a policing client after 9/11. Its role was concerned with major powers’ interests outside the territory whereas after 9/11 its role concerns the major powers’ interests inside the territory of Pakistan. In both case Pakistan behaves autonomously of patrons when the patronal interests clash with the interests of Pakistan defined in this paper as military capabilities, economic interests and its state formation. In this paper patron-client model is revised by incorporating elements of methodological pluralism, dynamism and simultaneity. The study is based on post-positivist ontological positionality with positivist case study, content and thematic analysis.