PAKISTAN AND CENTRAL ASIAN REGION: CHALLENGES, HURDLES AND A WAY FORWARD

Abstract

Having better relations with Central Asian Region is an urgent need of Pakistan because Pakistan requires energy resources which are found in Central Asian Region in huge quantity. Central Asian Region also wants Pakistan because the countries of Central Asian Region are landlocked and Pakistan can provide them access to sea ports for conducting business with the whole world through seas and oceans. Particularly, Pakistan can provide this facility to Central Asian Region through Karachi Port and Gwadar Port. Central Asian Region is blessed immensely with energy resources. The energy requirement of Pakistan can be fulfilled by Central Asian Region very easily. Both Central Asian Region and Pakistan can revolutionize business and trade in the whole of Asia and can benefit and support each other tremendously. Since Pakistan does not have any border connections with Central Asian Region and has to pass through Afghanistan. The unstable Afghanistan is one of the major hurdles for Pakistan to have access to Central Asian Region. The other hurdles for Pakistan include Indian negative competition and dirty politics, American involvement, Russian and Chinese influence, Iran's role, authoritarian regimes in Central Asian Region and ill organized policy making by Pakistani Policy makers. US is giving a lot of financial aid for reformations in politics but this aid is being used by Central Asian authoritarian regimes to suppress their masses. They do not use that financial resources for improving their state institutions and to alleviate poverty from their societies. There is a fear that Afghan Taliban will enter the Central Asian Region and destroy the peace of the region. All the external forces that are competing for supremacy must think of positive competition and cooperation and this attitude will benefit the Central Asian Region and the whole of Asia and the rest of international community.