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BOOK REVIEW
BY
MAJOR FAISAL ZIA
1. Introduction
a. Name of the Book - Foreign Policy of Pakistan
b. Name of the Author - Sajjad Hyder
c. Name/Address of the - Sh. Raza Mehdi, Progressive
the Publisher Publishers, Zaildar Park,
Icchra, Lahore, Pakistan.
d. Detail of the Edition - First Edition, February 1987.
e. Binding - Hard Bound
f. Number of Page - 155
g. Number of Chapter - 14

2. Comments on the Contents

a. General Comments. This book gives quite authoritative
and factual account of activities of the foreign office
immediately after independence. All actions by the higher
officials have been described in a very simple language. The
author, highlighting the weaknesses in Pakistan’s past foreign
policies has narrated the attitude of the government towards
different countries during the tenure of different government.
The author has also discussed some problems to Pakistan’s
security in relation to the foreign policy.
b. Book Addressed To. The book is basically addressed to the
students of international affairs and also to the diplomats. It
does provide guidance about the priorities, which should have

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been laid by Pakistan in keeping relation with different foreign

countries.
c. The Book. The author himself has eye witnessed all the
decisions taken by the foreign office and high commission after
the partition with special emphasis on the reactions by India. It
gives an in-depth attitude of super powers towards Pakistan and
how they kept on achieving their aim. The author had witnessed
the butchery of Delhi Muslims and hatred of India towards
Pakistan.

3. General Comments on the Chapters

a. Chapter1- Assignment Delhi 1947. In this chapter the author
has just described the establishment of High Commission in
New Delhi and the remedial measures carried out by then
officials to overcome the problem of refugees including
accommodation and food, security and evacuation of refugees.
b. Chapter 2 - "The Visit That Never Was". This chapter
describes the story of invitation by Soviet Union to the Prime
Minister to visit their country. On the other hand, Americans
never wanted the Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan to visit
Moscow. Pakistan was put in a difficult situation by both the
super powers. Pakistan, under the circumstances was forced to
side with the West and US in order to ensure its security and
integrity.
c. Chapter 3 - Pakistan and the Suez Crisis. Suez Canal was
under the control of Egypt, France and the US. The first phase
of this crisis was that President Nasser (Egypt) decided to build

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Aswan Dam on River Nile and expected the West to finance it.
After refusal by the US on 19 July 1956, he nationalized the
Suez Canal Company to finance the project with revenues. The
Anglo-French wanted to claim and assert their control, which
meant war, the US apposed it. Pakistan wanted to support
Egypt. But in London, the Pakistani Foreign Minister Hamid ul
Haq Chaudhry supported the proposal for international control
of the Suez Canal i.e., sided with the US. The second phase of
the crisis was the proposed by the US, UK and France about the
"Canal Users Control of the Suez Canal". Pakistan did not
wanted to oblige the West again but showed their willingness
on the assurance of Egypt not to be attacked. But as President's
Iskander Mirza's son was married to US Ambassador Horace
Hilderath's daughter, used abusive language due to which
Pakistan's Foreign Minister got furious and stood on the earlier
decision made by Pakistan. The West did not give any
assurances and attacked the Canal Zone of Egypt. Pakistan
came out of this phase with retrieved pride.
d. Chapter 4 - The Failure of a Mission. The author talks about
the failure of a mission on 5 September 1971, which was about
the utilization of the author’s post during the war. He (the
author) has shown his opinion that when war could not be
sustained, Pakistan offered to withdraw its forces, "with honor"
if hostilities are ceased at once. But it was totally ignored by
India and they wanted to finish it up once and for all. Nixon
through President Brezhenev finally stopped it due to
intervention.

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e. Chapter 5 -Mikhail Kapista: A Profile and Chapter 6 -

Brezhnev and the USSR. In these two chapters, the author has
given short pen portraits of Mikhail Kapista, a Soviet diplomat
and of President Brezhnez showing the human side of their
characters. The author gives President Brezhnev credit about
the equality between the US and Soviet Union. The great
discredit and misfortune for him was Afghan policy, which
eventually broke up the Soviet Union after a life of seventy
years.
f. Chapter 7 - Change of Government in Bonn. The author
describes that even after the defeat in the war. Germany soon
normalized its relations with neighbors and attained a
respectable status in Europe. Their foreign policy was East
oriented i.e. relation with Soviet Bloc. The author, therefore,
makes it necessary for Pakistan to keep on watching the
development in Germany (West). But as these essays were
written in 1986 and 1987 so, they become irrelevant because
after that many events took place in Europe like demolition of
Wall of Berlin, the Unification of Germany, Soviet Union's
defeat in Afghanistan resultantly breaking of a super power and
giving world a uni-polar existence with America as the only
super power.
g. Chapter 8 - Quest for Nuclear Independence: The Enrichment
Process. The author gives credit by stating that every head
of state from President Ayub, towards the end of his tenure,
until President Zia ul Haq has faithfully carried on this quest.
He further states that fate gave Doctor Abdul Qadeer Khan a

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chance to play a central role. He carried out research work in

Holland, returned to Pakistan and in collaboration with the
physicians, culminated in success and Pakistan achieved
nuclear capability. Pakistan has never and will never indulge in
arms race, whether conventional or nuclear. It aims in achieving
effective deterrence and by the grace of God it has done so.
h. Chapter - 9 Pak American Relations: A Nuclear Pakistan?
Besides dire defence needs Pakistan requires nuclear energy for
electricity. Hydroelectric and thermoelectric would not be
sufficient to meet the energy requirements for industrial and
civilian consumption in the coming decades. Mr. Hyder says,”
A ton of uranium in a breeder gives the energy equivalent to
two million tons of coal" and with relation to the defence, "As a
last resort a country's security must rest on its military
capability". But Pakistan cannot defend itself with conventional
weapons, so nuclear capability becomes the best option for
Pakistan. Pakistan had been pressurized always by America not
to take nuclear path, which we have taken very successfully.
j. Chapter 10 - The Geneva Talks. The author mainly talks
about the compliments passed by Indira Gandhi that Pakistan
established and managed good relations with all the three big
powers. Soviet advice to India about East Pakistan crisis and
supply of military hardware was a shock for India. This was an
advantage gained during Ayub days but within two years of
Yahya’s tanure, he simply refused to appreciate the advice of
Soviet President in April 1971. The author also describes
Afghan problems as in 1977 Sardar Daud toppled King Zahir

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Shah, and established a republic, himself as its President. Zahir

Shah was on foreign tour and could not return to Kabul.
k. Chapter 11 - Pakistan's Afghan Predicament. The Soviet Army
Generals murdered Sardar Daud with his family and established
a people’s republic with Noor Mohammad Tarrahki as its
President. After this, bloody succession took place till Soviet
Union intervened militarily to consolidate a communist regime.
It was Afghan countryside where armed rebellion started;
supported by Pakistan and the US, being their self-interest. In
his reflections Mr. Hyder saw nothing good coming out of
Pakistan's Afghan policy. He states that before siding anti-
Soviet forces, we should have demanded a clear-cut declaration
of acceptance of Durand Line as international border. The
author also proposes a neutral Pakistan and gives examples of
Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. But none of these have
hostile neighbors like India. So, it was not possible for Pakistan
to have neutral policy.
l. Chapter 12 - The Constitutional Crisis in Pakistan and the
Foreign Factor. The constitutional crisis began firstly, with
high handedness of Governor General Ghulam Mohammad by
dismissing Nazim - ud- din. Secondly, President Iskandar Mirza
declared martial law and invited army to take over. Ayub’s
Martial Law ended in 1962 by controlled democracy, indirect
election and system of basic democracy at lower level. Country
faced political and constitutional crisis due to ambitious
politicians and dictatorial actions, which forced the army to
intervene.

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m. Chapter 13 - "Pakistan Security Problems in the Global and

Regional Setting". The author describes the importance of a
country's security and factors essential for security. India being
our traditional enemy forces us to seek friends for our security.
Due to Soviet being sided up towards India, our entering into
defence pacts with West was very obvious. We managed to
maintain good relations with China. Despite India's effort we
became members of Non Aligned Movement in 1984 in
Havana. Our relation with the West particularly with the US
remained warm from 1955 to 1962.
n. Chapter 14 - Reassessing Our Foreign Policy. The most
important thing is safeguarding Pakistan from India. We, in
fifties, turned to America, in sixties, to China, on the other hand
Soviet Union always wanted to harm us. The author rightly
assesses that effective foreign policy can be pursued by
deterrent defensive capability which depends on political
maturity, economic stability, internal unity and representative
government without corruption.

4. Conclusion. The best aspect of the book is the coverage given by

the author to complete aspects of foreign policy. It has become very essential
for Pakistan to have a solid, diplomatic foreign policy especially after Kargil
incidence. The book gives an excellent chance for the reader to recapture the
past follies committed by us with regards to our foreign policy and a food
for thought that what should be our future step towards a better Pakistan.

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