This is apropos two back-to-back letters to the Editor from this writer carried by the newspaper on Sunday and yesterday. I would like to add that perhaps the most remarkable resurgence has been that of Pakistan. Long seen as economically fragile and politically unstable, Pakistan has demonstrated exceptional resilience and strategic clarity in recent conflicts.
Its military strength, underpinned by indigenous missile systems, integrated communication warfare, cyber capabilities, and soft-power operations, has outclassed much larger adversaries in the region. Pakistan’s ability to neutralize advanced aerial threats, jam enemy missile systems mid-air, and redirect hostile drones illustrates a level of strategic maturity and technological sophistication unseen in many developing nations.
These feats have not only impressed observers but have also forced a recalibration of Pakistan’s status in the global military order—potentially placing it among the top five global powers in terms of operational integration and agility.
Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has emerged as a formidable force combining military prowess with economic resilience. Ankara has invested heavily in its defense industry, becoming nearly self-sufficient in producing drones, tanks, missiles, and naval assets.
It has expanded its geopolitical influence from the Eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia and Africa. Beyond the Middle East and South Asia, Southeast Asia’s Muslim nations are also experiencing their renaissance. Malaysia and Indonesia once economically marginalized, have undergone dramatic transformation, and are rising to become a knowledge-based, technologically advanced, and globally respected nation.
Despite decades of crushing sanctions and international isolation, Iran remains a resilient player. It has developed a formidable indigenous defense industry and maintains strategic leverage across the Middle East—from Iraq to Syria, Lebanon to Yemen. Its ability to withstand economic warfare and maintain sovereignty without capitulation is a testament to the Iranian people’s willpower and the state’s internal strength.
Qamar Bashir
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025