The Role of Soft Power in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan (2004-2020)

Abstract

This PhD thesis explores Pakistan's soft power approach towards Afghanistan, a neighbouring country with complex and often strained bilateral relations. Since 1947, Pakistan has sought to use soft power to address issues such as the Durand Line, trade, and Afghan refugees. After Afghanistan's transition to a democratic government in 2001, Pakistan committed $1 billion to soft power programmes by 2021. However, despite these efforts, Pakistan’s soft power failed to significantly improve relations with Afghanistan during its two decades of democracy, as seen through negative statements from Afghan leaders, border conflicts, and anti-Pakistan protests. The study fills a gap in the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of Pakistan’s soft power and its challenges. It examines Pakistan's soft power under four different political parties – PML-Q, PPP, PML-N, and PTI – and identifies key obstacles and opportunities for improvement. A soft power framework is proposed, consisting of four pillars: actors, resources, strategies, and outcomes. These include state and non-state actors, resources such as culture, values, and foreign policy, and strategies like public and humanitarian diplomacy. Outcomes are assessed through Afghan leaders' statements and government actions. The research investigates how Pakistan can better operationalise its soft power towards Afghanistan to improve bilateral relations and offers strategies for enhancing its effectiveness. The study concludes that Pakistan has significant soft power potential, but weak strategies and poor implementation limit its success. Recommendations include establishing Pakistani cultural centres, improving diplomatic capabilities, providing better education and health services for Afghans, and modernising refugee policies. The study contributes to the literature on soft power in developing countries and offers a framework for reforming Pakistan's soft power strategy in South Asia