NA Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs holds public hearing

Abida Shaheen

Islamabad: The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly of Pakistan organized its second Public Hearing today on “Pakistan and the Emerging World Order” at the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS). The Hearing was chaired by the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Mohsin Dawar.

The Public Hearing was attended by leading foreign policy experts, former diplomats, academics, and students from various universities. The keynote speakers included Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Hussain Haqqani, Andrew Small, Khalid Banuri, Professor Adil Sultan, Professor Farhan Hanif Siddique, Dr. Adnan Rafiq, Professor Ejaz Khan, and former Senator Afrasiab Khattak.

The foreign policy experts emphasized that foreign policy begins at home, and it is indispensable that Pakistan “puts its own house in order” to successfully pursue its foreign policy objectives and interests. While highlighting that the world order is witnessing a transition from unipolarity towards multipolarity, the experts noted that Pakistan needs to shun the “Cold War mentality”, look beyond its ties with the United States and China, and deepen its relations with other parts of the world, in particular Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. The experts also emphasized that Pakistan needs to enhance its “soft power” and project a lighter and friendlier image of the country to the world. Highlighting the need to adopt a friendly neighbourhood policy, the experts laid emphasis on charting a pragmatic, as opposed to an emotional, approach vis-à-vis India, especially regarding the resumption of trade ties.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Mohsin Dawar, emphasized on the need to correct the direction of Pakistan’s foreign policy that has hitherto remained heavily securitized and centered on few countries. He urged on the necessity of “desecuritizing” our foreign policy and focusing on building multi-faceted ties with the countries around the world. Mr. Dawar noted that Pakistan’s flawed Afghan policy has resulted in a dramatic rise in terror attacks in the country. He emphasized the need to make the parliament a key forum for foreign policy making in Pakistan, and regretted the fact that the highest lawmaking institution in the country rarely witnesses any substantial debate on foreign policy. He noted that the purpose of the Public Hearings is to make the people of Pakistan stakeholders in foreign policy decision-making in the country. Mr. Dawar told the participants that the reports of the public hearings would be shared publicly so that everyone could benefit from the deliberations of the experts.

The speakers congratulated Mr. Dawar for effectively utilizing the forum of the Standing Committee and initiating the trend of Public Hearings.

The Committee intends to continue the series of Public Hearings on various topics of significance in the coming weeks.