Pakistan has consistently pursued a policy of peaceful coexistence towards its South Asian neighbors, aiming to foster a stable and cooperative environment in the region. The country’s efforts to promote peace, improve living standards, and establish stable diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties reflect its commitment to regional harmony. However, the responses from its eastern and western neighbors, India and Afghanistan, have been far from cooperative, demonstrating actions that threaten Pakistan’s national security and regional stability.

Under its peaceful coexistence policy, Islamabad has repeatedly extended offers for dialogue to resolve outstanding disputes with India. Despite these efforts, New Delhi’s stance towards Pakistan has been severe and inflexible. India has consistently linked Pakistan to alleged cross-border terrorism while engaging in extraterritorial and extrajudicial actions within Pakistan. This aggressive posture is further evident in India’s attempts to isolate Pakistan on international platforms like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). A stark example of this hostility occurred in May last year when the Pakistani foreign minister visited India for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit after a 13-year hiatus. The then Indian Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, harshly described the Pakistani FM as a representative of the terror industry, highlighting India’s lack of interest in accommodating Pakistan. This antagonism persisted during the 18th Lok Sabha election campaign in India, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued........

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