In Manila this week, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar joined the foreign ministers of twenty-seven nations at the ASEAN Regional Forum, a gathering that has served since 1994 as the Asia-Pacific's principal arena for security dialogue and trust-building. His presence signals Islamabad's deliberate effort to deepen its regional standing at a moment when great-power rivalries, an unsettled Afghanistan, and maritime tensions are reshaping the contours of Asian order. Pakistan, a forum member since 2004, seeks not merely a seat at the table but a recognized role as a nation capable of br