Populism in Foreign Policy: Unpacking the Foreign Policy Approaches of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Imran Khan

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the patterns of populists’ tactics in foreign policy and to propose actionable recommendations to minimize the impacts of populism in Pakistan’s foreign policy. International politics witnessed a surge in the rise of populist leaders all across the globe. The rise of populism is a new phenomenon with profound implications for state relations, and Pakistan is not an exception. This is non-experimental exploratory research employing qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. In line with Michael Zurn's analysis, this article assesses Pakistan's Foreign Policy in populist leaders’ tenures. This paper delves into exploring the populism of Bhutto and Khan, and its impacts on Pakistan’s foreign policy. The paper finds that Bhutto and Khan follow centralized foreign policy decision-making, employ populist Islamic and anti-west rhetoric, and poised foreign policy with their notorious political agendas. The paper recommends increasing public awareness and strengthening foreign policy-making institutions to minimize populist elements in foreign policy.