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Question No 1: National Identity and Nationhood

1. Nationhood or national identity, irrespective of one’s citizenship, is a feeling one

shares with a group of people. As represented by distinctive cultures, traditions and language
it is a sense of nation as a united whole which not only enhances physical security but also
ensures good governance, builds trust among citizens, facilitates economic growth,
generates support for strong social safety nets and eventually makes way for liberal
democracy.

2. In order to establish and maintain a strong modern political order, national identity is
an important element as all types of social movements appeal to identity. In most cases it has
been observed that the matters of ethno-national identity continue to attract the hearts and
minds of millions of people and set the framework of the debate and dialogue even for the
most customary matters.

3. It is said that a strong individual is a product of a strong nation as shared customs,

religion, language, and moral code play a vital role in providing an identity to human beings.
The American philosopher Oldenquist puts it this way: “The social identity they [that is,
‘people’] feel with their group often is a strong and defining element of their personalities.”

4. Speaking of Afghanistan, it is a multilingual and multiethnic country and is a nation-

state that encompasses several ethnic groups. It is a complex society comprising 14 different
ethnic groups according to Article 4 of Afghanistan. These groups are Pashtun, Arab,
Qizilbash, Tajik, Baluch, Hazara, Qirghiz, Aymaq, Brahwui, Uzbek, Pachaie, Gujur, Turkman,
Nuristani and Other Tribes. Pashtuns being the largest group have always played a
prominent role in the country's political life and have always asserted the right to rule.

5. Despite the ethnic diversity in Afghanistan, Afghans have a very strong sense of
national identity. Afghan nationals during the first three decades of the 21st century tried to
create national identity. This national identity was based on the idea that Afghans are a one
nation with a vibrant culture, history and their own homeland. This idea was actually
promoted by the Afghan nationals as the foundation for national identity in order to reform
Afghanistan. Having been wrecked for almost quarter a century by external occupations and
internal conflicts the country has failed to create a democratic society so much so that the
idea of national hood and nation-building sounds downright absurd and over-ambitious. The

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internal feuds between the various ethnic clans over power and authority has always been
the major cause of civil wars and anarchy in Afghanistan and has unfortunately resulted in
making the country a scourge to the world and its own people.

6. The military interventions of great powers namely Britain, Russia and the United
States and the involvement of minor powers to protect their own national interests, by
exploiting the domestic differences has always prevented the formation of legitimate political
governments and rebuilding state institutions in Afghanistan. 

7. It is not just the conflicts but also the illicit economic activities like the trade of narcotics
mainly opium and more recently methamphetamine, illegal logging and mining with many
individuals being benefited from this illegitimate source of income, that has never allowed the
creation of a legitimate state in a country and has added a further layer of difficulty to nation
building and nationhood.

8 There is a dire need of robust state institutions, courts, an efficient and functioning
security force and trained bureaucrats capable of establishing diplomatic relations with the
world in Afghanistan so that it could control civil wars in its territory and prevent it from being
used for international terrorism. But in a deeply heterogeneous society which is organized
around local norms and customs and where state institutions have long been impaired or
absent, such an approach can be a very complex task.

9. The recent withdrawal of US forces and the rapid advance of Taliban and their return
to power forced an evacuation of more than 100,000 people from Afghanistan over the
course of the last few weeks and has left Afghanistan in a much worse security situation
which may lead to the worst humanitarian crises of the history. There is an overwhelming fear
among the Afghans as well as the international community that the Taliban will return to their
traditional form of politics and would not care for basic human rights and services.

10. The Taliban in order to achieve a successful centralization of power under state
institutions should take into account the cooperation and assent of all the stakeholders
subject to it. The Taliban should also change their radical orthodox approach in dealing with
the state matters in order to recognize themselves as a legitimate government capable of
forming diplomatic relations else it will again bring problems for the people of Afghanistan like
political instability, economic backwardness, civil war and terrorism and the achievement of

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political stability, economic development, durable peace and nation building of the Afghan
people will only become a dream.

Question No 2 : Soft Power

1. Soft power is one of the attributes or behaviour of the state that attracts the attention
of the world and creates positive perceptions about the country. By deploying it as a pivotal
part of a country’s diplomatic strategy rich dividends are obtained. It also enables the country
to influence world politics, build trust among the regional and global partners and promote the
country’s foreign policy. On the other hand, coercion and hard power makes it difficult to
achieve desired results and win hearts and minds in contemporary times when the public is
so informed and aware of everything.

2. The dynamics of power have changed since the advancement in information

technology. Smart phones, social media and media channels have made ordinary man well
informed and enlightened, eventually turning public opinion into something more influential
and significant. 

3. The socio-political values, policies and cultural appeal of a country are very influential
tools to narrate any story through available communication means and the ruling authority
has very little control over the tale produced by these tools. It has been widely known that in
international affairs perceptions have consequences for a country’s position and therefore
soft power can be an indispensable and inexpensive tool for shaping perceptions that can
foster collaboration among the international community. It actually brings foreign policy of a
country into the limelight. 

4. A country’s international position today depends as much on its perception and

reputation as on its economic power and military. The transformation in recent decades from
hard power to soft power means that being admired helps nations increase their influence in
international affairs. For instance, during the covid crises China extended its aid to 80
countries and elevated its status globally. The appreciation and respect China received
through its actions helped it create a soft power effect. This endorses how important and
instrumental soft power could be in promoting a country’s image and international standing.

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5. In the context of Pakistan the term soft power is used rather loosely. It is conceived to
some extent by policy makers and is often misinterpreted in public discourse. The term and
concept is actually owned by the American scientist Joseph Nye, who in 1990 described soft
power as the ability to shape the preferences of others and ensure results through “attraction
rather than coercion or payments”. He contrasted soft power, “the power of persuasion and
co-optation,” with the “power of coercion” represented by the hard power of military and
economic force. He identified culture, political values and foreign policy as the main sources
of soft power. 

6. Not much attention had been paid in the past by previous governments and their
leaderships to project Pakistan’s soft image. They did however focus on promoting a soft
image of the country from time to time but it has never been one of their top priorities. Also
the country has been pulled backwards by obscurantist clerics on several important
occasions which were crucial to not only Pakistan’s soft image globally but also for the
country’ national interest. Since 9/11, Pakistan’s image has badly ruptured despite having
many positive things to its credit. The country generated many negative stories like the attack
on Malala Yousafzai, Lal Masjid incident, suicide bombings, and other terrorists activities not
just in tribal areas but also the main cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. 

7. Poor education system, corruption, persecution of minorities and incidents of violence

against women have also contributed in tarnishing the country’s image globally. Pakistan has
in the past tried to shed off the image of terrorism and other negative connotations clinged to
its name and continues to do so to protect the honour and prestige of the country and its
people. To get rid of the terrrorism, Pakistan had launched a series of various military
offensives like operation Zarb-e-Azb, operation Radd-ul-fasad, operation Rah-e-haq,
operation Rah-e-Shahadat etc and many others against terrorist groups and contributed
significantly in the fight against terrorism. 

8. The contributions made by various activists like Shermeen Obaid Chinoy by winning
an Oscar for her documentary “Saving Face”,  Yasmeen Lari winning the prestigious Jane
Drew architecture prize in 2020 for her contributions, Samina Baig a high-altitude
mountaineer who became the first Pakistani woman to climb all Seven Summits: Mount
McKinley, Mount Aconcagua, Mount Elbrus, Mount Kilimanjaro Carstensz Pyramid, Mount
Vinson and Mount Everest has made Pakistan proud and helped in building a positive image
of the country in front of the whole world.

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9. Despite all the contributions and the sacrifices Pakistan made by compromising its
national security and economic development, the western portrayal of Pakistan on the
international level remained negative and very discouraging.Neglecting the importance of soft
power by the previous governments can be seen as one of the reasons why the country has
been labelled a “terrorist country globally”.

10. It’s about time that Pakistan should focus on promoting its soft image to the world.
Having been wrecked by corruption, terrorism, political instability and feeble tourism,
Pakistan has lost its soft image in the political arena. In order to build stability in the region
the contemporary world is shifting its focus from hard power to soft power. Big powers like
the US, China, Britain, Russia and India are relying more on soft power for progress at
global, regional and national level. It’s high time for Pakistan to promote through music, art,
theatre, tourism, literature and media its soft image to the world.

11. Although today Pakistan has been responding directly to international trends and
global issues like Islamophobia and Climate Change ever since PM Imran Khan took charge
making Pakistan diplomatically vocal and its policy proactive. Pakistan’s staunch support for
Palestinian crisis has greatly helped Pakistan promote its soft image to the world. Tourism is
another one leading avenue of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government. With the
development of Kartarpur Corridor, the creation of “Discover Pakistan”, a dedicated tourism
channel and the widely promoted inaugurations of tourism based projects and the
government supported investments in the tourism industry has been complimenting the
country’s soft power. But the road ahead is too long and all it needs is competent leadership
and consistent policies in order to achieve the desired results.

Q No 4 : Principles Governing use of Outer Space

1. The principles governing the use of outer space were adapted by the UNGA in
resolution 2222 (XXI) in 1966 and earlier in the same year were considered by the legal
Subcommittee. This treaty takes into account the activities of the states in the use and
exploration of outer space and was formed on the Declaration of Legal Principles governing
such activities, which had been adopted by the General Assembly in 1962-63.

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2. This treaty states that the exploration and the use of outer space must benefit all the
countries and should be in the interests of all mankind. It also states that it should not be
governed through occupation or by any other means by any one state and all the states shall
be free to explore and use it. The states were also advised not to place weapons of mass
destruction or any sort of nuclear weapons in orbit or on celestial bodies. It was advised that
the celestial bodies and the Moon should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. The
treaty regarded astronauts as the envoys of mankind. According to this treaty the states are
responsible for all governmental and non-governmental activities in the national space and if
there is any damage caused by their space objects the states shall be held responsible for it.
This treaty also advises states to avoid any harmful contamination of celestial bodies and the
space.

3. The exploration of space is one of the most fascinating endeavors of the modern era.
It contributes to the investigation of physical conditions in space, planets, on stars, and other
celestial bodies through the use of artificial satellites and space probes aboard spacecraft
outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Competencies and skills in relevant areas of space science
and technology for space exploration could help achieve sustainable socio-economic
development and improve the quality of life of the Pakistani people.

4. Pakistan was one of the top 10 countries that initially started the space program. It
was initiated in 1961 with the appointment of Dr. Abdus Salam as the Chairman Space Upper
Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). This program unfortunately could not
persist due to the uncertain economic condition of the country. The political turmoil faced by
the country coupled with turbulent regional stability also couldn’t allow this program to
prosper. However, recent initiatives taken by the government to overcome the past mistakes
and the obstacles in the process of development through an improved foreign and domestic
policy sound promising. What ensures success in space development is sustained and
consistent political commitment. To advance its space activities, Pakistan effectively led
global participation with various countries and organisations

5. Space-based communication systems offer fast and inexpensive ways to provide

remote areas with services such as tele-education, telemedicine, mobile telephony, and
television. The diversity and cultural exchange of our population can best be benefited by 
broadcasting satellite television. Similarly, communications satellites are an important and
indispensable means of communication for the armed forces

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6. Remote sensing satellites have great potential to contribute to better disaster

management, mineral exploration, urban planning, land management, water management,
crop yield forecasting, food security etc. 

7. Climate has a profound impact on life. Weather satellites provide forecasts of

precipitation, temperature, cloud cover, temperature and winds and have both military and
civilian applications. For an arid country like Pakistan, whose economy  is largely agrarian,
climate and weather, as well as their effects on  water availability, are decisive factors.
Weather forecasts and warnings are also important because they protect life and property.
For agricultural applications, temperature and precipitation predictions are required

8. Several Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are under development or in

operation. They continually offer free and reliable location, navigation and timing services
around the world. Some of the applications include  surveying, mapping, scientific tracking
and monitoring of earthquakes,  relief and rescue services on life-saving missions. Farmers,
surveyors, geologists, and many others do their jobs more safely, efficiently, accurately and,
economically, through GPS signals.

9. Also, understanding space security is instrumental to managing and preventing

potential conflicts in space. It is a medium of economic, political, military and strategic
competition. There is an established international code of conduct for peaceful use of space
and to protect it from weaponization.

10. Since the most advanced in space capabilities is the United States employed in the
pursuit of economic development, civil interest and national security, China too is emerging
as a rival power in space. The rise in the capabilities of two big powers in space is giving rise
to the strategic competition between the US and China at global level and between China,
Pakistan and India at regional level making South Asia a complex security region where
these three powers are framing a security trilemma.

11. India has been emerging fast as a regional space super power with global ambitions.
Pakistan too with the help of China can become a regional space power by configuring its
space technologies into military space capabilities. The changing power structure in South
Asia has made space important for both military and peaceful purposes. The dynamic and

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volatile South Asia possesses a security environment having prospects of both conflict and
cooperation among the regional powers.

12. An awareness is needed to be created amongst the decision-makers to promote the

uses and benefits of space technology in all walks of life. The global commons of space
provides states with the resources for their national wellbeing. To develop cooperation
among the regional powers to promote peaceful ties, exploration and development is a
challenge for Pakistan. The capacity and the capability of the users and departments should
also be developed so that they would be able to understand the application of space
technologies. In this regard several workshops, seminars, symposia and courses should be
launched and organized in a way to promote space technology. The socio-economic
development of the country can be largely benefitted if such awareness programs are
organised. 

Question No 6 : Book Review

“Essentials of International Relations”,(8 th edition) by Karen A. Mingst,

Heather Elko Mckibben, Ivan M. Arreguín- Toft

The book, “Essentials of International Relations” is a detailed account of concepts, historical

contexts, contemporary developments, theoretical frameworks and paradigms of International
Relations. This book is written in academic style and it encompasses all the elements of
International Relations that a student of the subject ought to know. Inclusion of contemporary
examples, case studies, news headlines and statistics has enabled the reader to develop
analytical approach by relating the given concepts and examples. The book has been divided
into 11 chapters and each chapter gives details about different domains of International
Relations, i.e. Approaches, Historical context, Theories, Levels of Analysis, War and
Security, International Law, International Political Economy, IGOs and NGOS, Human Rights
and Human Security, respectively.

Chapter 1

This chapter is the introductory section that talks about the foundations of International
Relations. Detailed account of multiple approaches that include, history, philosophy,

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Behaviouralism and alternative approaches have been given which enable the students and
readers to understand the logic of studying international relations. This chapter is basically a
catalogue of the tools necessary to understand the subject and the foundation of the subject
is laid well through this chapter.

Chapter 2

Second chapter discusses historical context of the International Relations. It mentions about
the emergence of modern state system, peace of Westphalia, European balance of power,
Alliances in pre-war period in 20 th century, World wars, cold war and post cold war period.
This chapter gives comprehensive account of how the subject has evolved over the centuries
and how the historical context is still relevant. Addition of timeline maps and key events and
elaborate definitions of concepts have added the detailing that clears the ideas and provide a
mental map that is very helpful at the beginner level. This chapter can be used to extract
detailed content for courses like IR since 1945 and other courses of history of IR.

Chapter 3

This chapter talks about Theories of International Relations. Importance of learning theory
and applying it to study International Relations cannot be overemphasized. The way
theoretical approaches and major paradigms of IR have been explained in this chapter shows
that without the application of theoretical approaches IR is just a news headline. This chapter
mentions theories in their true context with reference to the work of their major proponents
however certain foundational aspects of theories are missing that could have given
substantial credibility to the work done in this chapter. At the end the inclusion of the section
that related theoretical approaches with contemporary politics again makes the text highly
recommendable for the students.

Chapter 4

To analyze any problem in International Relations the scale is Levels of Analysis. Authors of
the book have written a complete chapter on the subject that not only emphasizes the
importance of levels of analysis but also depicts the attention that have been paid to the
details of the major elements of the study of IR. This chapter describes how each of the
contending theoretical perspectives explains change in the international system, how political
scientists measure state power. What psychological factors have an impact on elite foreign
policy decision making and the roles private individuals and the mass public play in

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international relations? Levels of Analysis coupled with the detailed context of power system
and elements of power of state provide the reader with credible information about how
decision making is done at sate and interstate level.

Chapter 5

This chapter named, “State and tools of statecraft”, is a demonstration of practical application
of the concepts, theories and approaches that have been learnt in previous chapters. This
chapter breaks down the art of diplomacy and foreign policy making in such a way that a
student at undergraduate level can comprehend and grasp the concepts well. Different
models of decision making have also been added to give alternative decision making models
at state and interstate level. Finally the challenges to modern statecraft have been made a
part of the chapter.

Chapter 6

This chapter talks about the oldest element of International politics and state system that is
War and Security. The concept of war and security is as old as the concept of state itself
hence the importance of this subject cannot be overemphasized. The authors of the book
have written very well researched and well documents text to describe the concepts related
to war and security in modern world. Evolving concept of war in recent years has also been
made a part of the book to keep it up to date and contemporarily relevant. This Chapter
defines war and identifies the different categories of war and explains how the theoretical
perspectives help us explain the causes of wars. It describes the key characteristics of
conventional and unconventional warfare and highlights the circumstances under which a
war can be considered “just.” Last but not the least it explain how realists, liberals, and
constructivists differ in their approaches to managing state security. As a whole this is very
detailed account of the war and related concepts.

Chapter 7

“International Cooperation and International Law”. This is another very important aspect of
International Relations that needs special attention in order to be understood well. Authors of
the book have mentioned the genesis of this subject along with its multiple sub sections
including treaties, agreements, international laws, major declarations and covenants. It
defines international cooperation and explains why realists argue that achieving it can be
difficult. Describe how the theoretical perspectives explain instances of cooperation. It

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defines international law and describes its various sources and explains the reasons why
states comply with international law. One of the key aspects that can be seen throughout the
book is the addition of theoretical approaches in order to explain every aspect of the subject.
In this chapter, applicability of International Law is discussed in the light of realistic and liberal
approaches that develop analytical skill that is a necessity for a student of the subject.

Chapter 8

This chapter is about International Political Economy which is relatively new subject in the
field of International Relations. This chapter enables the students and readers to understand
the core concepts of economic liberalism. Analyze the roles the major economic institutions
play in the international political economy. Describe how the views of mercantilists/economic
nationalists and radicals differ from those of economic liberals. Explain how the international
economic system has become globalized in key areas: international finance, international
monetary policy, international trade, and international development. Show how the global
economic crisis and the Eurozone crisis are connected and have led many to question the
tenets of economic liberalism. Explain how critics of international economic liberalism and
economic globalization reflect differences in ideologies.

Chapter 9

This chapter named “Intergovernmental Organizations and Nongovernmental Organizations”

is about what intergovernmental organizations, such as the United Nations, have contributed
to international peace and security. This chapter traces how the European Union changed
over time. Describe the roles nongovernmental organizations play in international relations.
Moreover, it analyzes the contending perspectives international relations theorists bring to
their analysis of intergovernmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations. This
chapter is a critical analysis of the challenges faced by institutions and organizations in
modern world that were posed to be the agents of perpetual peace by liberalists.

Chapter 10

This Chapter is on the subject of Human Rights. In post cold war era human rights have
become an important entity in IR and it is necessary for a student of the subject to
understand its importance. This chapter enables the students to Describe the religious,
philosophical, and historical foundations of human rights; Explain the roles that states, IGOs,
and NGOs perform in the protection and monitoring of human rights; Identify what human

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rights have been protected under international law; Analyze why the international community
has so often failed to respond to allegations of genocide; Analyze why women’s human rights
in the private sphere are so difficult to address; Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the
R2P norm. Hence, a detailed account of the developments, approaches and practices related
to human rights is given.

Chapter 11

This chapter is on the most recent concern for the International Relations academia and
hence the chapter is named, “Human Security: Migration, Global Health, and the
Environment”. This chapter explains what makes migration, health, and the environment
transnational issues of human security. It gives the different explanations for the migration
crisis and the obligations of the international community to address the migration crisis, as
well as the limitations on its ability to do so. This chapter has provided the approaches used
to combat infectious diseases and the difficulties in addressing non-communicable diseases
and how the concepts of collective goods and sustainability help us think about
environmental issues. Finally, it describes the changing role of the different actors in the
climate change debate.

Conclusion

As a whole this book is a complete package for the students of International Relations. This
book has coupled the theoretical aspects with everyday examples in order to make the
subject more interesting and relevant. The addition of sidebars to highlight the definitions and
key terms can further improve the quality level of the book as the students at beginner level
often are in trouble in searching definitions. Every section is well elaborated however the
chapter on war and security is missing certain key concepts like conflict resolution, that need
to be mentioned in detail to make the book a comprehensive catalogue on the subject of
International Relations.

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