Federal Public Service Commission
International Relations II
Competitive Examination-2024
The 2024 International Relations Paper II addresses critical shifts in the contemporary global order and regional security paradigms. The exam explores the evolving power dynamics between the US and China, specifically through the lens of Thucydides's trap and economic statecraft. It also delves into theoretical frameworks of foreign policy decision-making, such as Graham Allison’s models applied to Pakistan's strategic choices. Key regional issues are highlighted, including the impact of the 2023 Israel-Gaza war on the Abraham Accords and the persistent challenges to normalizing bilateral relations between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India.
PAPER-II PART-II
Question No. 2
With the evolving situation in Afghanistan, how does China engage with Pakistan to ensure stability in the region, and what are the shared strategic interests and potential divergences between the two countries in the context of postwithdrawal Afghanistan?
Question No. 3
Under President Putin, Russian foreign policy has experienced a revival. Russia is back on the world stage and projecting its power through economic and less politico-military means. Comment.
Question No. 4
Recent relationship between the US and China seems to be prey to Thucydides’s trap. Can America and China escape it? Analyze it keeping in view the recent trends in international politics.
Question No. 5
Graham Allison has devised different models for making choices in foreign policy decisions. Compare and contrast the Rational Actor Model and the Bureaucratic Politics Model to illustrate foreign policy decisions. Which model better explains Pakistan’s decision in 2015 to decline Saudi Arabia’s call for armed support in the Yemen war?
Question No. 6
Compare and contrast Fukuyama’s ‘End of History’ and Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilization’ in the backdrop of the interpretation of the post-Cold War era. Which interpretation seems more attractive in explaining international politics in the post-Cold War era?
Question No. 7
With the Abraham Accords between Israel and some Arab states, how has the October 2023 Israel-Gaza war impacted the broader dynamics of the Arab-Israeli conflict particularly prospects for the two-state solution?
Question No. 8
Pakistan and India are nuclear-armed neighbours. The normalization of the bilateral relationship between them has not become possible despite several peace initiatives like the Simla Accord and the Composite Dialogue. Is sustained peace possible between them?