Book Review M Jahanzaib Book Palgrave 2026 by Zahid Ahmed

Muhammad Jahanzaib, The Interplay of Geo-Politics and Geo-Economics in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy (Post-2008): Imperatives, Constraints and Potentials through a Neoliberal Lens (Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2026), 242 pp. Hardcover ISBN 978-981-95-7468-1; eBook ISBN 978-981-95-7469-8.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-95-7469-8

The launch of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has contributed to an increasing emphasis on geo-economics in Pakistan’s foreign policy, reflecting an effort to complement traditional geopolitical and security priorities with economic connectivity, investment, and regional integration. Through CPEC, Pakistan seeks not only to attract Chinese foreign direct investment but also to advance its longstanding objective of establishing greater connectivity with the energy-rich states of Central Asia. This geo-economic orientation is increasingly evident in both policy discourse and strategic planning, particularly through the prominence accorded to geo-economics in Pakistan’s first National Security Policy and initiatives such as Vision Central Asia. Hence, this book is particularly timely, as it examines the evolving interplay between geopolitics and geoeconomics in Pakistan’s foreign policy decision-making and assesses how economic imperatives are reshaping the country’s regional and global strategic priorities.

Muhammad Jahanzaib’s The Interplay of Geo-Politics and Geo-Economics in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy (Post-2008): Imperatives, Constraints and Potentials through a Neoliberal Lens examines a question that has become increasingly prominent in Pakistani foreign-policy discourse: whether the country has genuinely moved from a predominantly security-oriented foreign policy towards a more geo-economic orientation. The book’s central question is how the interplay between geopolitics and geo-economics has shaped Pakistan’s foreign policy since 2008 and what this transformation means for the country’s imperatives, constraints, and potential. Its central argument, developed across seven chapters, is that the geo-economic reorientation is real but remains partial and constrained by enduring geopolitical and security considerations.

The book begins by establishing the historical foundations of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Chapter 2 traces its evolution from 1947 to 2008, highlighting the predominance of geopolitical and security considerations. Although necessarily broad in scope, this historical overview provides an important baseline against which the post-2008 transformation can be assessed. Chapter 3 then examines the emergence of the geo-economic idea, focusing on economic diplomacy, regional integration, diversification of partnerships, and Pakistan’s response to changes in the global economic order. Chapter 4 provides the core analysis of the interaction between geopolitics and geo-economics after 2008, examining Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring countries, Muslim-majority states, and major global powers. Together, these chapters establish the book’s principal contention that geo-economic considerations have acquired greater prominence without displacing geopolitics.

The theoretical framework is rooted in neoliberalism, particularly the concept of complex interdependence. Jahanzaib explicitly positions this approach against realist interpretations that have traditionally dominated analyses of Pakistani foreign policy. This perspective allows the author to draw attention to economic diplomacy, connectivity, trade, investment, and institutional mechanisms that are sometimes overshadowed by conventional security-centric accounts. The discussion of the 2022 National Security Policy is particularly useful in demonstrating how economic security has become more prominent within Pakistan’s strategic discourse.

Chapter 5 carries much of the book’s empirical weight. It examines the consequences of the post-2015 transition, particularly in the context of China’s growing global role and its implications for Pakistan’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic relationships. The chapter combines qualitative analysis with trade, foreign direct investment, and remittance data to substantiate the argument for a geo-economic tilt.

This evidence provides a valuable empirical foundation for understanding the changing composition of Pakistan’s external economic relationships. The discussion of initiatives such as the Special Investment Facilitation Council, information technology, and agro-product exports further demonstrates how geo-economic objectives have been incorporated into contemporary policy. Here the author argues that “Pakistan’s transition towards a geo-economic approach in its foreign policy has led to a substantial reorientation of its economic policies, trade agreements, and investment strategies” (p. 145).

Chapter 6 moves from analysis to assessment, examining the imperatives, constraints, and potential associated with Pakistan’s evolving strategic landscape. Here, emphasis on economic opportunities is central, as the author claims, “Emerging markets and trade relations present significant economic benefits for Pakistan, which emphasises the importance of global trade and economic interdependence” (p. 173). It also underscores that the country’s geo-economic ambitions remain conditioned by geopolitical realities, economic vulnerabilities, and external pressures. The concluding chapter synthesises these findings and offers policy recommendations. The book’s greatest contribution lies in presenting Pakistan’s foreign policy not as a straightforward transition from geopolitics to geo-economics, but as an evolving interaction between the two.

Two areas nevertheless point to productive avenues for further research rather than diminishing the book’s contribution. First, the discussion of Pakistan’s diversification strategy could be further developed by examining the extent to which initiatives such as Look Africa and Vision Central Asia have translated into sustained economic, diplomatic, and strategic engagement. A more systematic assessment of these initiatives, alongside China and the United States, could provide stronger evidence of whether Pakistan’s geo-economic orientation is genuinely diversifying its external partnerships. Similarly, CPEC offers an important opportunity for future research to examine the conditions under which economic connectivity can generate broader and more reciprocal forms of interdependence, particularly given Pakistan’s substantial economic relationship with China.

Second, the book’s discussion of India highlights an important area for theoretical development. The persistent tension between the economic benefits of normalised trade and the enduring constraints imposed by the Kashmir dispute suggests that the relationship between geo-economics and geopolitics may be more complex than conventional interdependence frameworks imply. Future research could, therefore, explore the conditions under which economic interdependence can develop despite unresolved security disputes and when geopolitical tensions instead constrain economic engagement. Such comparative research could further refine the application of complex interdependence to South Asian foreign policy.

The book’s interdisciplinary relevance is one of its key strengths. Its analysis of Pakistan’s evolving foreign policy and the interplay between geo-economics and geopolitics makes it valuable not only to scholars of international relations and South Asian studies but also to researchers of political economy, development, regional connectivity, security studies, and foreign policy analysis. For postgraduate students and area specialists, it provides a well-evidenced account of an ongoing policy transition, while policymakers and practitioners will find its assessment of both the opportunities and constraints of Pakistan’s geo-economic orientation particularly useful. Its recognition that this shift is real, uneven, and potentially reversible offers a relevant framework for understanding Pakistan’s evolving strategic choices.