CSS Pakistan Affairs | Geopolitical Challenges for Pakistan
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Ayesha Shoukat under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Critical overview of Pakistan’s geostrategic location and its importance
3- Geopolitical challenges faced by Pakistan:
- ✓ Border disputes with neighbours making Pakistan as conflict-ridden region
- Case in point: The Kashmir issue remains the bone of contention between India and Pakistan, which engages both countries into 3 wars in history and the peace of the region at stake
- ✓ Mountainous and remote border regions being home to terrorism and insurgency
- Case in point: The provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have been the most affected by terrorism, accounting for 64% and 26% of reported casualties, respectively.
- ✓ Vulnerability to climate-related disasters in Pakistan due to strategic location
- Case in point: According to the Pakistan flood report, 2023 is the most devastating natural disaster that affects approximately 33 million people in different districts.
- ✓ Ethnic and sectarian conflicts between different religious groups
- Case in point: The Chanabar incident on January 3, 2023, highlights the ongoing sectarian violence and terrorism in Pakistan.
4- Critical analysis
5- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Geography is the most essential phenomenon that defines a country’s political, economic, and social progress and prosperity. Geography is the factor, which navigates complexities through diplomatic relations, regional cooperation, and domestic policy reforms. However, due to its strategic location, countries face several challenges, that slow down the growth vehicle, and unfortunately, Pakistan is one of them. The presence of arch-rival India in the east, hub of terrorism Afghanistan in the west, and politically unstable Iran in the southwest makes Pakistan vulnerable to geopolitical conflicts since its inception. At present, Pakistan faces several geopolitical challenges, including border disputes with neighbours on the Kashmir issue in the east and the Durand line dispute in the west, terrorism, insurgency, and climate-related disasters. Additionally, ethnic and sectarian tension is also counted in the list of challenges faced by Pakistan. Indeed, these challenges impaired the country’s socio-political fabric and brought it to the verge of complete extinction. However, to combat these challenges, major stakeholders should take some vigilant measures and move the country towards geopolitical progress.
Critical overview of Pakistan’s geostrategic location and its importance
Pakistan, at the heart of the Rim-land area, makes it a crucial player in regional and global geopolitics, offering opportunities for cooperation, trade, and stability. For example, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, boosts Pakistan’s geostrategic importance. CPEC is transforming Pakistan’s economy, infrastructure, and industries, setting the stage for sustained growth by enhancing connectivity and economic integration with China. Additionally, the Gwadar port witnessed around seventy per cent (70%) of world oil transportation and 100,000 shipments of annual trade transportation. Furthermore, Pakistan’s stability and prosperity are closely monitored globally due to its potential to impact regional security. Therefore, Pakistan’s strategic location provides both opportunities and challenges for its standing in the international world.
Geopolitical challenges faced by Pakistan
- Border disputes with neighbours making Pakistan a conflict-ridden region
The geopolitical difficulty for Pakistan to sustain internal and external peace stems from the border disputes with Afghanistan and India over the Durand Line and Kashmir, respectively. The history of this region shows its importance for trade, but unfortunately, the regional actors are pulling the region into the quagmire of a blame game. For instance, the bone of contention between the two nuclear power is nothing but the Kashmir issue, which both have fought three wars. These wars resulted in battlefield casualties, and the death of innocent citizens and have drastic effects on the growth of the economy and stability. Thus, Pakistan’s border disputes, propelled by political chaos, derail the country’s progress.
- Mountainous and remote border regions being home to terrorism and insurgency
Pakistan has become the epitaph of terrorist activities due to its strategic location with the hub of terrorism in Afghanistan. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2023, Pakistan ranks 163; among the top five countries impacted by terrorism. These terrorist activities badly affect the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, accounting for 64% and 26% of reported casualties, respectively. This challenging behavior is nurturing the environment of fear, suspicion, and insecurity in the country.Thus, the social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions of Pakistan are greatly impacted by terrorism as it is the principal threat to the people of the land.
- Vulnerability to climate-related disasters in Pakistan due to strategic location
Climate change is causing significant and potentially irreversible challenges for Pakistan’s development in the form of natural disasters. The stretching of the Indus River along the length of Pakistan makes it vulnerable to continuous floods and flood-related disasters. According to the Pakistan flood report, 2023 is the most devastating natural disaster that affects approximately 33 million people in different districts. Although Pakistan’s carbon emission is less than 2% in the world it faces momentous climate change effects due to its location. Therefore, Pakistan is prone to these climate change disasters region on the globe.
- Ethnic and sectarian conflicts between different religious groups
Ethnic conflicts in Pakistan are driven by a complex interplay throughout its history due to religion, culture, and language and it becomes a major geopolitical challenge. This poses a serious threat to Pakistan’s integrity and destabilization its geopolitical standing in the world arena. For example, the Chanabar incident on January 3, 2023, highlights the ongoing sectarian violence and terrorism in Pakistan. This ethnic conflict makes nation-building efforts more challenging due to deepening division within society. Hence, the prolonged ethnic conflicts collapse the state institutions and create a challenging situation for Pakistan.
Critical Analysis
Through the strategic lens, Pakistan’s location become more challenging due to its political situation. Moreover, these challenges create political, economic, and social problems for Pakistan. However, due to its geostrategic and geopolitical importance, it is in the limelight of major power ambition. Additionally, all is not lost, Pakistan is capable of combating these challenges and using its strategic location for its development.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Pakistan is at the crossroads of geopolitical interests and geography is the subject, which holds the key to the future. It sits at the center of 3 nuclear powers, plus its own nuclear capability increases its importance. As Pakistan is facing a dilemma of geopolitical challenges, multi-polar Pakistan’s foreign policy can bring peace and prosperity to the South Asian region with the help of trade activities, cooperation among stakeholders, and friendly relations with neighbors.
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