The foreign policy of a country guides geo-strategy. It means the power, influence, prominence, or authority of a country with regards to its geographical location. And geopolitics includes taking advantage of the location of a country in international conduct by the state itself or from another country.
The world in the twenty-first century is shifting into a new geopolitical order. Every country has its unique geographical position on the map of the world. Each country plays a different role in geopolitics. But here, we shall only discuss the geo-strategic significance of the Pakistani Territory. If we see on the world map, Pakistan possesses a territory in the middle of the map. This position enhances the importance of Pakistan for the rest of the world. Unfortunately, our foreign policy always lacked vision and a coherent framework. Our government never realized, the geo-strategic significance of the country’s location and nor did it have any domestic benefit. It was the past, but if we look at the current government, Prime kilometers Minister Imran Khan, paid particular attention to foreign policy and convinced the world that Pakistan knows its importance. Pakistan is located in a significant political, economic, and geographical position. An American writer Stephen F. Cohn describes it as, “While history has been unkind to Pakistan, its geography has been its greatest benefit.”
Geographical Significance of Pakistan
Pakistan is located in the north of the equator between 24 and 36.5 northern and 61 to 75.5 eastern latitude. And the area of Pakistan is estimated at 796,096 square kilometers. Pakistan’s location is like a bridge between South Asia and South-West Asia. Afghanistan is located in the North-Western line of Pakistan and shares 2,250 kilometers long border. The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is called the Durand Line. Pakistan shares a 909 kilometers long border with Iran in the West. So, these two are energy-rich countries.
While China shares a 595 kilometers long border in the North-East, and India shares 3,323 kilometers long border with Pakistan in the East. And these two are lacking energy in their region. And Pakistan is like a bridge between these two energy-rich and energy-poor countries.
Iran is ready to provide its energy resources through pipeline projects with its lacking energy neighbors, and Pakistan will have an important role in that.
Our neighbor, China, is finding a possible shortest way to the Indian Sea and Arabian Ocean through the Karakorum and Pakistani geography, providing this short route. China has invested a massive amount on a project, China Pakistan Economic Corridor. It is an infrastructural project in Pakistan that will build a road to Gwadar.
Gawade seaport is located on the South Western Coast in the province of Balochistan. This port is precisely opposite to Oman in the Arabian Sea, while Iran’s seaport city, ChaBahar is only 170 kilometers away from the Gwadar. It is found that the world’s deepest seaport is Gwadar and it is 3,218 kilometers long. It can be a competitor to the ports in Dubai because Gawadar is more in-depth and broader than in Dubai. And it can and ships can easily dock here and can stay for a longer time than other ports in Arabia Sea. China found that its Southern provinces are 4,500 kilometers away from Xinjiang, but Gwadar is only 2,500 kilometers away. Moreover, chines will have to cover long distances to come into the Arabian Sea and especially in South Asia and reaching Gulf countries. Pakistan is also the only way to reach the Arabian sea by landlocked countries in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan as it is providing the shortest route than Iran, Turkey, and landlocked Afghanistan.
So, Gwadar port, with its deep waters, attracts the trade ships of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN), China, and landlocked Central Asian Regions.
Now, CPEC is attracting many other countries to invest and take part in the economy of Pakistan.
Economic Significance of Pakistan
Naturally, Pakistan is an agricultural country and blessed with fertile land. Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with four seasons also. Our grains and fruits have a unique taste in the world and demanded hugely. But we lack technology and value addition concepts. If we consider the agricultural sector and take steps to improve our agrarian products’ packaging and processing and reach the quality of the product’s handling, which is internationally demanded, then we can earn an economic benefit.
CPEC road will also open new opportunities for the economic benefit in the country. Our neighboring country Iran is struggling to export its surplus gas and oil to Pakistan and Turkmenistan. And Pakistan will earn 400 million dollars of economic benefit every year if Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan (IPT) gas pipeline gets success.
Pakistan has nature’s beauty in northern areas and can establish a tourism industry to make a profit in those areas.
Political Significance of Pakistan
Pakistan has always been taken into interest by various powerful countries for the geopolitics in the region. The USA is a great example, and they always used Pakistan for its interests in the region. The USA wants to contain China, Iran, and terrorists in Afghanistan, and all these want to capture the Indian market in the region. So, the main interest of Americans in the region is security and business, and they do not wish to any competitor with them. For decades they kept Pakistan busy against terrorism and making ties stronger with India to counter China in the region and Pakistan if we do not play a front line role for them. Although Pakistan is directly or indirectly is involved in its interests in South Asia. And the American think tank has confessed many times that war against terrorism in the region can not be a win without Pakistan.
We have always been a puppet for America. It should have been that Pakistan understood its geographic and geopolitical importance and took actions according to its interests and benefits. Still, we have never been such visionary, and fate is reading to us today.
But a new hope with PM Imran Khan is created as we see him on international tours where he is always Pakistan and its interest and integrity. During his latest visit to America, Khan left his nation in honor, and we see a shift in geopolitics as Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen with Imran Khan many times, talking to each other informally and friendly and taking meals together. We also understand that Islamic countries are coming closer to each other that was never before, and the most prominent example is that Khan was welcomed by both countries, Iran and Saudia Arabia, for mediation. We witnessed that Trump appreciated Imran Khan and the nation. We also had seen that when India was trying to make Pakistan alone on the international forums, then many countries stood with Pakistan. We recognize that China, Russian, and Pakistan can make a great triangle in the region. China already has the ability to shift the world order from uni-polar to bipolar.
Threats to Pakistan
Pakistan is waging war on many fronts simultaneously. Our enemies are always in the mission of destroying us. In the current situation, Pakistan is facing the following threats:
- Political Instability: Unfortunately, Pakistan has always been politically unstable, and not a single government can complete its term until 2008. We see that two elected governments have completed their terms successfully. But still, some factors are prevailing in Pakistan that are creating instability in Pakistan. There was hype on Kashmir issue in the world after PM Iran Khan addressed in UNGA in September 2019. But some political factors in Pakistan created a scenario to destabilize the current government. And Kashmir issue went into the background.
- Economic Crisis in Pakistan: Our country is facing a massive crisis in the economy that was never seen before in the country. Pakistan has taken 130 billion dollars external debt which is equal to 43.4 percent of our GDP. There was a wide gap between the export bill and the import bill. The country has nothing left the account to run a government.
- Terrorism and Security Issues: Pakistan is the largest victim of terrorist activities. Our country is facing this problem since 2001. The state has made sacrifices to combat, but still, it is prevailing and increasing security issues. Terrorism and security issues are making foreign investors interested in the region.
- Army Engaging in War: Pakistan army is fighting on three fronts, western borders, eastern borders, and a war against terrorism. We have to spend many of our resources on war, and if we lack any resources, it will become a more significant threat.
- Nuclear Race in the Region: Two enemies are located in the south Asian region, those are India and Pakistan. Both countries have been in the atomic race. And this can be a significant threat for both countries in case of any conflict.
- Kashmir Issue: Both countries always treat each other in the Kashmir conflict. This problem has not been solved since 1948. The United Nations has passed many resolutions to address this issue, but not a single step has been taken by India to solve it. In fact, India tried to impose a war on Pakistan after Pulwama attack in the month of February.