The Cinderella State: Pakistan – New Form and Relationships

Center for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) - SOAS Radio

Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, SOAS South Asia Institute – Research Associate

In an age where a number of South Asian states seem to re-define their nationalism, Pakistan is engaged in building both its identity and partnerships aimed at re-defining the country’s role and status in the hierarchy of nations. It no longer considers itself a weak embattled state that has limited capacity to respond. Pakistan’s new power configuration aims at a more significant role in South Asia and also the Middle East. The important issue, however, is that how will a new imagined geo-political environment trained on a traditional socio-political paradigm respond to the changes?