GEO-STRATEGIC

IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN
OUTLINE

• Role of geography in IR
• Geopoltics
• Geo-graphical description of Pakistan?
• Geo-strategic description of Pakistan:
1) Proximity of great powers
2) Gateway to central Asia
3) Significance as a Transit economy
4) Important link in the chain of Muslim countries
5) China's link to middle east
6) Reduce Indian hegemony in the Arabian sea and Indian ocean
ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY IN IR

• Geography plays a significant, fundamental role in shaping outcomes in human societies.

• It is natural that geographical features provide the foundation of countries
• where a nation is physically located influences patterns of endogenous lifestyle and who are
the neighbor countries for the nation is likely to set up exogenous international relations
• National borders create imagined communities, in which are limited by boundaries and are
sovereign where people tend to be presumably aware of their sovereignty with finite frontiers
(Anderson 1983, 7)
• Since borders contain both geographical and political implications, they are likely to bring
crucial consequences in domestic and international politics
GEOPOLITICS

• Geopolitics, analysis of the geographic influences on power relationships in international

relations.
• Arguments about the political effects of geography—particularly climate, topography,
arable land, and access to the sea—have appeared in Western political thought since at
least the ancient Greek era
• Geopolitics focuses on political power linked to geographic space. In particular, territorial
waters and land territory in correlation with diplomatic history. Topics of geopolitics
include relations between the interests of international political actors and interests
focused within an area, a space, or a geographical element
GEOPOLITICS

• At the level of international relations, geopolitics is a method of studying foreign policy to

understand, explain and predict international political behavior through geographical
variables.
• These include area studies, climate, topography, demography, natural resources,
and applied science of the region being evaluated
GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW OF PAKISTAN
GEO-GRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF PAKISTAN

• Pakistan is located in South East Asia.

• 24.35 North and 37.05 North latitude 61 East to 78 East Longitude.
• Area – 7,96096 sq km
• Khyber Pass connects Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Khunjrab Pass links Pakistan and China.
• Pakistan and Iran borders meet at Koh-i-Tuftan.
NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES
NARROW STRIP OF WAKHAN THAT SEPARATES
CENTRAL ASIA FROM PAKISTAN:
GEO-STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN:

1. Proximity of Great powers

2. Gateway to Central Asia
3. Significance as a Transit economy
4. Important link in the chain of Muslim countries
5. China's link to the Middle East
6. Reduce Indian hegemony in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean
PROXIMITY OF GREAT POWERS:

• Russia and China are busy to give check to US Power in this region and in other
regions like Middle East, Africa, North America, Europe and Far East ASIA.
• US interests in this Region:
1. Security:
• Policy of Pax –Americana in order to restraint world dynamics from
Unipolarity to multi-polarity.
• US interest in the region to contain the growing china, nuclear Iran, terrorist
Afghanistan.
2. Business:
• To benefit from the market of India and Central Asia.
GREAT POWER COMPETITION IN INDIAN OCEAN:
GATEWAY TO CENTRAL ASIA:

• Central Asia is the center stage of new Great games: Western quest for resources- oil and
energy resources in the central Asia.
• Pakistan is located very close to the oil rich M.E region and C.A States
• Pakistan can influence shipment of oil.
• Pakistan was part of the Iran-Pakistan Gas pipeline until 2019
• Pakistan has stepped up its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar, and has
also been importing LNG from the US since 2017. At the end of 2018, more than 40%
of Pakistan's power demand was met by LNG.
• In this scare energy world, Pakistan can provide access from energy efficient to
energy deficient state.
SIGNIFICANCE AS A TRANSIT ECONOMY

• Land locked Afghanistan sought passage through Pakistan during its reconstruction
phase
• China with its fastest economy growth rate of 9% GDP seeks Pakistan’s help for
passage because its own part is 4500 km away from Sinkiang but Gawader is
2500 km away.
• Pakistan offers central Asian regions the shortest route of 2600 km as compared to
Iran 4500 km or turkey 5000 km.
• Gwadar Port with its deep waters attracts the trade ships of china, CAR and south east
Asian countries.
IMPORTANT LINK IN THE CHAIN OF MUSLIM
COUNTRIES
• Geographically, Pakistan is situated at the centre of the Islamic countries of
Africa and Asia.
• It is linked to these Muslim states through land and sea routes and thus not only its
ideological background, but its geographical centrality necessities that it supports the
unity of Muslim world.
• Prior to the cessation of East Pakistan, it was the largest Islamic state and naturally
was in the vanguard of the movement for Islamic unity.
• Even afterwards, it actively works for the mutual alliance and unity of the Muslims.
CHINA'S LINK TO MIDDLE EAST:

• Pakistan is the only direct and shortest link between China and the Middle East.
• Gulf States possessing 63% of world’s oil reserves.
• In development of this link Pakistan plays an important role by making
Gwadar a fully functional port with support of china.
• Gwadar will prove instrumental in promoting trans-shipment essentially of containerized
cargo besides unlocking the development potential for hinterland.
GAWADAR PORT

• In the changing dynamics of global architecture, the sea politics is getting complex with
more focus on commercial activities and economic prosperity.
• Gwadar Port is the warm water and deep sea port of Pakistan. It is situated at the mouth of
Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and holds 2/3 world oil reserves
• The port holds great strategic and economic significance for Pakistan.
• It is third important deep sea port of Pakistan after Karachi and Qasim ports.
GAWADAR PORT

• It is located at cross-junction of international sea shipping and oil trade routes.

• Gwadar can act as an international trade hub for Pakistan.
• Gwadar Port would connect three regions, i.e. Central Asia, South Asia and Middle East.
• Pakistan would be able to explore minerals, hydrocarbons, oil and gas resources of CARs.
• The port will attract foreign investment and tourism
GAWADAR PORT

• Gwadar will help Pakistan to monitor the Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs)
originating from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
• Gwadar will be able to control the oil sea routes and trade links among regions such as
South Asia, Africa, Central Asia, Gulf and Middle East.
• It will provide strategic leverage to Pakistan vis-à-vis India, as the port is far from Indian
reach as compared to other two Pakistani ports
REDUCE INDIAN HEGEMONY IN THE ARABIAN
SEA AND INDIAN OCEAN
• India has a shared interests with the U.S and NATO in the subjection of
Pakistan.
• As they consider Nuclear weapons of Pakistan as a threat to Indian national security,
NATO operations in Afghanistan, and Israel.
• Pakistan have nuclear deterrence since 1998. Pakistan termed its nuclear bomb as
“ISLAMIC BOMB” that made it center of attention in the world politics.
• The U.S, NATO, Israel, and India to neutralize such a strategic and tactical threat from
emerging in Pakistan.
• The US has conspired with international media against Pak nuke.
• Most importantly Pakistan has world best missile technology
NEED TO RETHINK FOREIGN POLICY

• Need to step up to the US pressure

• Should strengthen its relationship with China and Iran without compromising its position
• Pakistan must capitalize its geo-strategic importance and re-define its relationship with the US,
India and with other neighboring countries
• Need to build good working relationship, at least, with our western border countries.
Otherwise CPEC and some other mega projects will not benefit us
• Pakistan should not be compromising its own national interest and continue to strengthen its
relation with China and Afghanistan.
• The influence of India in Afghanistan could prove to be dangerous for Pakistan
CONCLUSION:

• Stephen Cohn describes geostrategic importance of Pakistan in these words, “While

history has been unkind to Pakistan, its geography has been its greatest benefit. It has
resource rich area in the north-west, people rich in the north-east.”
• Pakistan is a junction of South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia, a way from resource
efficient countries to resource deficient countries. The world is facing energy crisis and
terrorism. Pakistan is a route for transportation, and a front line state against terrorism.