Paid
GREF PAID PUBLICATION
PAKISTAN: Geopolitical Economics And Politics of Economic & Trade Corridor
FOREWORD
Our allies, international strategists, academics, military leaders have always emphasized and driven into our minds the geo-strategic location and importance of Pakistan in the region and the world for pursuing their own goals. Our own intelligentsia, primarily educated in the west, always propagated our geostrategic location with reference to the goals of the superpowers. Thus, our foreign and security policy were always overshadowed by foreign policies of the west.
We failed to evolve an independent foreign, security or economic policy since our independence. Even as the world evolved around us, we were still stuck in the sixties and happy to be of geostrategic importance. We did not learn from the experience of our most trusted ally China as it shifted gears and started riding the economic tiger.
However, it is never too late to apply a correction. The opportunity is again knocking at our doorstep, and it is again an opportune moment for us to place our national priorities first and foremost and gain not only from the evolving geo strategic but also from the geo-economic developments around us. We need to keep Pakistan First and above all.
The revival or the emphasis on economic corridors in the last decade is of utmost importance. Countries are talking about developing existing trade routes and evolving new economic corridors. In this race, BRI takes the lead, whereas, International North South trade corridor, Middle Corridor, India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor, the African North South Corridor and B3W are also competing in this race.
Our halfhearted endeavors at RCD highway, TAPI, PSGP, CPEC, Pakistan Iran Gas pipeline have not borne fruit as we were more averse to US sanctions then our own Economic interests. Let us start with revitalizing CPEC, as the upcoming economic hub at Kashgar will dominate the region within the next couple of years. Also let us complete the railway link to Iran to benefit from the large volumes of goods flowing to Chahbahar and turn Gwadar into the economic hub as it has been always destined to be.
Pakistan because of its geo-location is ideally situated that most of these corridor’s flow through or around it. Therefore, this is again a God given opportunity for Pakistan to take advantage of the evolving situation.
Yet if we look around, no initiative has been started by Pakistan at any level. The intellectuals and thinkers are sleeping, the writers are silent, the news media is quiet, the foreign office has not started any thought process, Universities are quiet and we as a nation are as usual sleeping and waiting for someone to come and tell us what to do. Let us break the stale thinking and jump into this Gad gifted opportunity. Let us focus more on the region around us. Let us explore the opportunities of Central Asia and beyond. Let us not limit ourselves to the BRI only.
This book is a first step by The Golden Ring Economic Forum (GREF), an independent Think-Tank based at Lahore, to try and stir intellectuals, thinkers, academic institutions, government ministries, policy planners and our political leadership to wake up in order to reap the economic benefits which are being offered to us.
GREF, as part of its activities, organizes conferences, panel discussions, seminars, webinars and publishes research articles, papers and reports. GREF is also conducting research on this topic and has compiled its first book which contains the results of work done by our researchers. The book has been designed and planned primarily for researchers, university students, current affairs, scholars and politico-economic journalists, who are working in the fields of national economic security, international political economics, international current affairs and political sciences. The book presents a macro view of the subject starting from the philosophy and history of corridors, the international economic politics and the geopolitical and strategic connotations of these corridors.
Sikander Afzal
Chairman
Golden Ring Economic Forum
December 2024
BOOK REVIEW
Pakistan: Geopolitical Economics and Politics of Economic and Trade Corridors is a superb compilation of well researched and analyzed articles by a panel of distinguished experts. This makes this publication a stand-alone manual on the politics of economic corridors and international trade, invaluable for researchers, policy makers and scholars working in the many disciplines connected to these aspects of trade as we know it today. The potential in this field for countries like Pakistan has been brilliantly highlighted.
There is no doubt that the ancient trade routes dating as far back as 3000 BCE shaped the world as we know it today. The Silk Route, the Spice Route, the Incense Route, the Amber Route, the Salt Route, the Tea Horse Trade Route and the Trans Sahar Route are some of the names that spring to mind and the impact of these historical networks has been well brought out.
The geo-political, the geo-strategic, the geo-economic, the cultural, the security and the diplomatic aspects of international trade and economic corridors have been analyzed and linked to highlight the enormous potential for Pakistan, given its location in relation to China, India, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan and beyond into the Central Asian States. In this context the geo-political and the economic significance of China’s Belt and Road initiative and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor has been fully highlighted. This is perhaps the most significant aspect of this book especially given the importance of regional connectivity and the interlinkage of trade with the economy and economic security and overall national security that includes internal cohesion, internal security, political stability and a trade friendly environment.
Technology has impacted trade and geo-economics throughout its evolution. Navigation systems, faster and safer transportation means, ability to move huge volumes, international payment systems, the internet and great strides in logistics, have all made a massive difference. Artificial intelligence promises even more advances. The book highlights how a country like Pakistan can leverage its location and forge alliances through economic connectivity via regional corridors for trade and its many other benefits. If there is internal stability and security then logistic hubs and busy land and air terminals can put Pakistan on the world economic and trade map. It is worth noting that the cargo train linking China and Germany has just completed its 100000th journey and its route is not too far from Pakistan.
The Golden Ring Economic Forum and its Chairman Lieutenant General Sikander Afzal, HI(M), Retired and his team need to be commended for the brilliant and invaluable publication.
General
Jehangir Karamat
NI(M), HI(M), TBt. (Retired)
BOOK REVIEW
In the rapidly transforming global geopolitics, almost everyone recognizes the salience of economic corridors and their systematic contribution to the socio-economic prosperity of nations. Simultaneously, these corridors have steadily intensified the political-economic competition among the major powers, entailing the rejuvenation of multilateral security alliances formation around Pakistan. The steady progress and acceptability of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the world have thrived in economic and trade corridor formation and operability ensuing geoeconomic competition between China and the United States. The U.S. partners responded with the constitution of the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative, the African North-South Economic Corridor, the Central Asian Middle Corridor, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Theoretically, these economic and trade corridors are promising for the global South’s economic prosperity, but the formation of multilateral security groups, i.e., Quad (Australia, India, Japan, the United States) I2U2 (India, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and the United States), AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States), NATO’s expansion and Asian foray to check China, and the conclusion of Western strategic pundits about the emergence of China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia alliance alarm about the derailing of the significance of economic and trade corridors.
This book “Pakistan: Geopolitical Economics and Politics of Economic and Trade Corridors” carries multiple chapters, all of which reinforce our understanding of the scale, scope, and significance of the potential of economic and trade corridors. The philosophical perspective about Economic Diplomacy and economic and trade corridors are presented clearly and profoundly. The empirical evidence, cases, actions, trends, and others—are illustrative, well-chosen, and compelling. The book contains historical evidence about the vitality of economic and trade corridors, especially highlighting present-day Pakistan’s areas, such as Taxila, which were at the crossroads of major trade routes going through the Indian Subcontinent connecting East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. It also sensitizes the readers regarding the myriad security challenges to the economic and trade corridors due to China and the United States’ systematic rivalry and competition, which is spiraling and generating a debate over the Pax Americana vs. Pax Sinica. Indeed, states like Pakistan, seeking neutrality or trying to balance relations between China and the United States, are in a difficult position. China and Pakistan’s strategic economic partnership deepened with launching the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of BRI. China’s investment in road infrastructure development and Gwadar port multiplied Pakistan’s regional connectivity and offered opportunities to tap and reap the benefits of the blue economy.
Prof. Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal
Meritorious Professor of International Relations
Dean Faculty of Social Sciences
Quaid-i-Azam University
Islamabad, Pakistan