Foreign Policy Making Process and Procedure in Pakistan

Abstract

Foreign policy making is a complex process. A state formulates a coherent foreign policy in context of external relations. Several principles, objectives and interests are followed in relations with other states. The objective of the study is to explore the foreign policy making process in Pakistan. The objectives of Pakistan's foreign policy are security, integrity and national survival. Pakistan has a parliamentary form of government. The pillars involve in foreign policy making process are the president, prime minister and his cabinet, parliament and its different committees, ministry of foreign affairs, chief of the army staff, national security council and several secret agencies. This study analysis that foreign policy in Pakistan is formulated differently in different circumstances. In routine matter, foreign ministry with the help of secret agencies prepares policies and gets passed by the prime minister and his cabinet, parliament and its committees and president and then implements it. In special circumstances, chief of the army staff and the national Security Council dominate the foreign policy making process. In this study, qualitative method with inductive reasoning is used. Primary and Secondary sources are also used.