Editor's Note: Aamna Khan is an international relations PhD student at Jilin University. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN. 

Kashmir has always been a contentious issue between Pakistan and India since their partition in 1947. This year, the issue has again gained momentum after the Pulwama attack in February. The dispute reached its boiling point on August 5 when the Indian government revoked Article 370 of its constitution that guaranteed special rights to the region.

The recent Kashmir crisis and tension between India and Pakistan has challenged Pakistan, especially in terms of the future of its foreign policy. The main question is whether it's time for Pakistan to redefine its foreign policy.

Pakistan has long been a strong ally of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and always claimed to have brotherly relations with all Muslim Gulf countries. Since its independence, Pakistan has sided with the Western bloc and supported it. Pakistan has played a very important role in the recent Afghan peace dialogue with Taliban. But it seems that whenever Pakistan needs support from its allies, it's left looking for the strong backing it needs.  

United Arab Emirates' ambassador to India claims Kashmir is India's internal matter, while its foreign minister said that Kashmir is not an issue of concern to the Muslim community, but rather a dispute between New Delhi and Islamabad. Additionally, the UAE awarded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their highest civilian award the Order of Zayed – as a mark of appreciation for his efforts in boosting bilateral ties between the two nations.

And this week, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Prime Minister Modi twice within three days. President Trump has lauded Modi effusively and gone so far as to suggest that Modi should be called the "Father of India." And a trade agreement between India and the U.S., according to the president, is in sight. 

Just a few months ago, President Trump offered Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan his help in mediating in Kashmir. However, that offer seems to have disappeared despite Pakistan's help in the Afghan peace process by bringing the Taliban to the table.

So it's time for Pakistan to redefine its foreign policy.

Pakistan needs to know that foreign policy should be balanced and effective for its own country first before benefitting any other country. Pakistan has to be stout enough so that world can listen to it.

It needs to first focus on resolving its domestic issues and improve its economy to gain leverage. As seen from the recent crisis that in the world politics, the economy is much more important than religion or brotherly affiliation. Building strong relations within its region should be the first priority, especially with neighboring countries and stop involving itself in proxies. And relations between countries shouldn't based purely on religion or emotions.

Pakistan should put a special emphasis on its relationship with China. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a statement said "The Kashmir issue is a dispute left from the colonial history. It should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement," and that "China believes that unilateral actions that will complicate the situation should not be taken." Furthermore, he reiterated that as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, China and Pakistan understand and support each other on each other's "respective core interests."

Collectively, China and Pakistan can work for uniting their neighboring countries and resolving amicably longstanding conflicts in the region. It's time for policymakers in Pakistan to look for possible options for shifting the paradigm in Pakistan's foreign policy.

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