How Pakistan Befriended Rival Superpowers US And China, Secured Saudi Backing – Are Limits Jinnah’s Legacy Being Tested? | World News

Pakistan Diplomacy: Islamabad’s leadership has attracted global attention for its deft handling of rival superpowers. Pakistan’s civilian government and military coordinated in a way that was both impressive and suspicious. The country recently secured $8.5 billion in new Chinese investment, while also offering the United States the opportunity to develop a port near Pasni in Balochistan. Saudi Arabia also joined the strategic equation with a new defense agreement.

Observers say Islamabad’s approach to diplomacy is unconventional. Mihir Sharma, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, wrote in Bloomberg that Pakistan’s leaders have found a way to manage two rival global powers simultaneously. While the country provides economic benefits to the United States without harming China, it also offers similar assurances to Beijing. Their strategies spread influence across all major players in an increasingly multipolar world.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Beijing last month. During his visit, China announced that it would make a new investment of $8.5 billion in Pakistan. The agreement highlights Pakistan’s ability to leverage U.S. engagement while expanding its Chinese partnerships. The country’s deepening ties with Saudi Arabia did not alarm Washington. In recent months, US President Donald Trump met twice with Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir.

Power in Pakistan largely revolves around Munir. Although Sharif assumes the role of prime minister, decisions are reportedly made according to military guidance. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif described this arrangement as “mixed government”. This hybrid model allows Islamabad to pursue a strategy that tries to please all major powers, from China to Saudi Arabia.

Part of this balancing act involves offering the United States a new port in Pasni, a fishing village just 110 kilometers from the Chinese-run port of Gwadar. The port could facilitate access to Pakistan’s mineral resources. Gwadar marks the southern end of Beijing’s corridor from the Arabian Sea to Xinjiang. Pasni will serve as a parallel route allowing Pakistan to divide its economic and strategic reach between China and the West.

Money is a central element of Pakistan’s strategy. Missouri-based US Strategic Metals signed a $500 million deal with the military-run Frontier Works Organization. The Asian Development Bank awarded a $41 million package for the Reko Diq mine in Balochistan, about 400 kilometers north of Pasni, near the Iranian border. The International Finance Corporation will contribute another $40 million to the development of one of the world’s largest copper and gold reserves.

It is extremely difficult to extract and transport gold from Balochistan. The region has historically resisted Islamabad’s control. The Baloch people have opposed Chinese projects and will likely resist US initiatives as well, linking the opposition to the designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army as a terrorist organization.

Pakistan has revealed its sovereignty in the process of economic expansion. It borrows from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), shares nuclear energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia, and offers mining access to the United States while providing mortgage infrastructure to China.

Prime Minister Sharif and General Munir have learned to strategically “use” the country’s resources, balancing international investment and influence against domestic constraints.

This complex diplomacy demonstrates Pakistan’s ambition to navigate a multipolar world while pursuing economic gains and strategic security. The country is simultaneously courting superpowers, maximizing investment and managing domestic risks. Its hybrid government, military influence, and foreign partnerships reveal a high-risk approach to survival and growth in a challenging geopolitical environment.