Imran Khan, the cricketer turned politician, has become the most popular political leader of pakistan as his party has gained majority seats in the Pakistani parliament. Imran Khan has emerged as the most powerful civilian ruler of the country due to the support of the country's youth in metropolitan cities of Pakistan. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf - PTI, political party headed by Imran Khan, has made many analysts flabbergasted by attaining a landslide victory by defying all odds in electoral polls held July 25.
Many challenges for Imran Khan
Amidst the challenges faced by PM-elect Imran Khan, one of most pertinent challenges is the appointment of a foreign minister of Pakistan.
In the past 70 years of history, the country has seen too few highly effective and successful foreign ministers due to some of the domestic problems of Pakistan, especially unbalanced civil-military relations, fragile economic structure and unfriendly ties with neighbouring countries.
Sources inside Pakistani media and Imran Khan's party has claimed that ex-British MP Mohammad Sarwar will be next foreign minister of Pakistan. Apart from these claims, names of many other people including close aid of Imran Khan, Dr Mazari, and ex-foreign minister, Mr Qureshi, are also surfacing as possibles. Our sources inside Pakistan claimed that Sarwar is the strongest candidate for the highly important post due to the following reasons: One, Senator Sarwar has vast experience of diplomatic relations management as a member of British Parliament, Second, Sarwar acquired GPS status for Pakistan which increased Pakistani exports up to two billion dollars despite profound opposition of EU member countries.
Foreign policy challenges for Sarwar as Foreign Minister
Professor Dr Ahmed Khan, a Research Analyst of Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, Pakistan's premier foreign policy think tank, said from his office in Islamabad on Thursday:
"Pakistani foreign policy is facing blatant crisis in 2018 due to past failures of our foreign policy.
Pakistan is quickly approaching towards international isolation, economic turmoil and recipient of trade sanctions, while our foreign policy is unable to respond to any challenge. In order to solve this crisis, we need People like Mohammad Sarwar as foreign minister because they meet professional criteria of successful diplomat"
Pakistan is facing five major foreign policy challenges in 2018: First, India has refused to start bilateral talks with Pakistan on Kashmir and the Water issue by accusing Pakistan epicenter of terrorism in South Asia
Second, Trump Adminstration has increased pressure on Pakistan and pushing the country towards a "Do More" approach in the war on terror as part of the new Af-Pak policy of the United States.
Donald Trump has gone one step further and openly threatened Pakistan to face consequences of non-cooperation in Afghan affairs.
Third; ISIS has emerged as the most dangerous threat to peace in Pakistan and the terror network has claimed responsibility for major terrorist incidents in the country. ISIS is reportedly operating from safe heavens in Afghanistan, while both countries have accused each other of cross-boarder terrorism since the start of the war on terror in 2001. Severe bilateral ties are causing fiscal and human lives losses for Pakistan
Fourth; Despite the inauguration of CPEC projects and the flow of Chinese money in Pakistan, exports of the country have been reduced significantly and the surge in dollar prices have shocked economic experts in Pakistan.
Within the next few months, Pakistan quickly needs increased foreign remittances and a surge in the country's exports by discovering new export markets
Fifth; Geo-politics has become a non-existent political norm in post-globalisation international relations, while geo-economics has become the emerging norm in inter-state bilateral and multilateral relations. Pakistan needs to replace India centric foreign policy with mutually inclusive and economic centric foreign policy by realising the increasing geo-economic role of Russia and China in the region
Sarwar is ideal candidate owing to past achievements on diplomatic front
"Apart from political calculations and political weight of foreign minister candidates, Pakistan needs a highly intellectual foreign minister with diplomatic exposure as well as profound personal exposure on the diplomatic front", Rahim Ullah Yusufzai, Veteran Pakistani journalist and security expert, said in Islamabad on Wednesday.
In light of Sarwar's record, he can breathe k ice with India, negotiate on mutually inclusive terms with the USA, end status-quo quagmire with Afghanistan and help Pakistan from escaping increasing international isolation. Apart from these foreign policy issues, he can prove effective on the economic front as well for a country with a fragile economy. He can also extend the outreach of Pakistani exports in the EU and the US. Pakistani industry needs massive tariff incentives and deregulation of country's exports in global markets. Mohammad Sarwar can help Pakistan in meeting these challenges due to his professional expertise and personal ties.
