CSS Pakistan Affairs | Geostrategic Location of Pakistan and its Sovereignty
The following question of CSS Pakistan Affairs is solved by Zainab Mahmood under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches: Miss Iqra Ali and Sir Ammar Hashmir. 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 question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Overview of Pakistan’s geostrategic position
3- Has Pakistan’s geostrategic position strengthened its sovereignty or undermined it?
4- How has Pakistan’s geostrategic position strengthened its sovereignty?
- China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
- Gwadar Port as the nearest warm-water port to Central Asian Countries
- Persian Gulf and the Pars gas field
- Turkmenistan- Afghanistan- Pakistan- India pipeline
- Centre of the Islamic bloc
5- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The geostrategic position of a state brings it both opportunities to strengthen its sovereignty and some risks to evade to prevent it from being undermined. Pakistan’s geostrategic position brought countless material benefits. Being the doorway to oil-rich countries of the Middle East and Central Asia, Pakistan has great potential to become a transit route and strengthen its sovereignty. Pakistan’s northern border neighbor, China, is preparing to invest heavily in the wake of CPEC, followed by the TAPI pipeline along its western border with Afghanistan. Pakistan’s newly functional Gwadar port and its proximity to Gulf states are some positive aspects of Pakistan’s geostrategic position. Thus, the geostrategic position of Pakistan and its worldwide relations with other states are positive features to strengthen its sovereignty.
Overview of Pakistan’s geostrategic position
Pakistan’s geography is one of the greatest blessings as the country is at the strategic crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, which makes it vital for transit routes, pipelines, and other regional cooperation. The country shares its eastern border with India, which can be an economic potential between the two countries if both countries resolve their mutual conflicts. On its northern side, it has a border with China that brings a billion-dollar project of CPEC. Its western border lines with Afghanistan, the Wakhan strip of Afghanistan is between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, which, if used as a transit route, can benefit all the Central Asian Republics in trade. Pakistan’s southwestern border lines with the oil and resource-rich country, Iran. On its south, it has coastal access and maritime trade to the Arabian Sea.
Has Pakistan’s geostrategic position strengthened its sovereignty or undermined it?
Since its very inception, Pakistan has been surrounded by global powers like China, India, Iran, and Afghanistan. The mutual relations of these countries with Pakistan have impacted its geostrategic position. The relations of Pakistan with other countries can determine whether Pakistan’s geostrategic position has strengthened its sovereignty or undermined it. One cannot overlook the two-dimension impact of its geographical position; it has advantages as well as disadvantages Although geostrategic location of Pakistan owns some challenges that risks its sovereignty, as U.S used Pakistan as cold war front line state, global war on terror cost over its economy and loss of lives, in reality, its geography has been its greatest blessing by being a crossroad to Central Asian Republics, China’s investment in CPEC, and Gwadar port is another manifestation of Pakistan’s geostrategic position. As Stephen P. Cohen states that: ‘While history has been unkind to Pakistan, its geography has been its greatest benefit.’ Hence, the benefits of Pakistan’s geostrategic position overshadow its challenges and strengthen its sovereignty by using its geographical factors for its national interests.
How has Pakistan’s Geostrategic Position Strengthened its Sovereignty?
The significant use of Pakistan’s geostrategic location has strengthened its sovereignty. It is discussed in detail below
- China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
The billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor scheme is demonstrated as a “game changer” more than a network of roads connecting the Chinese city of Kashgar with the Gulf states via Gwadar port. CPEC is a complete package of energy projects and trade opportunities for Pakistan. It is considered the most cherished fruit of Pakistan’s geostrategic importance to strengthen its sovereignty.
- Gwadar Port as nearest warm Sea port to Central Asian Countries
Pakistan bought the Gwadar port from Oman in 1958. Gwadar has been developed into a warm sea port which is now operated by the Chinese Overseas Port Holding Company under a 43-year agreed lease. This Gwadar port is the soul of CPEC. Being the nearest deep-seaport to landlocked Central Asian Republics, Gwadar has also played its magnificent role in strengthening Pakistan’s sovereignty.
- Persian Gulf and the Pars gas field
Pakistan’s Gwadar port provides access to the Gulf of Oman, which extends via the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf. This gulf is surrounded by Iran, the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain. Access to the Persian Gulf via Gwadar port means access to all these countries, most of which are resource-rich. The Persian Gulf has the largest gas reservoir, the Pars gas field, surrounded by Iran and Qatar. Hence, Pakistan’s proximity to such mega-fields of natural resources has played a vital role in strengthening its sovereignty.
- Turkmenistan- Afghanistan- Pakistan- India pipeline (TAPI)
The Asian Development Bank funded the project TAPI, which is a gas pipeline. Its aim is to supply natural gas from the Caspian Sea to the four countries mentioned above. The geographical proximity to Central Asian countries is seeking to benefit from this project. Hence, TAPI has played its vital role in strengthening its sovereignty.
- Centre of the Islamic block
Pakistan is located almost in the center of the Islamic bloc stretching from Indonesia in the east to Morocco in the west. The geographical location of Pakistan makes it a center and the only nuclear power in the Islamic world. Most of these countries are rich in energy sources, and Pakistan’s proximity to these resource-rich countries has been strengthening its sovereignty.
Conclusion
To conclude, Pakistan’s geostrategic position has its advantages as well as challenges that impact its sovereignty. Although Pakistan paid a huge and devastating price as a front-line state in the Cold War and the negative impact of the Global War on Terror, the significance of its geostrategic position has been a core in the CPEC scheme, the TAPI pipeline, and the Gwadar port’s proximity to Gulf countries. The geostrategic position of Pakistan has its obvious and multifold benefits to strengthen its sovereignty.
CSS Solved Past Papers’ Essays
Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them.
CSS Solved Essays
CSS Solved Islamiyat Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ Islamiyat Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Islamiyat coaches having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Islamiyat
CSS Solved General Science & Ability Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS GSA coachez having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved General Science & Ability
CSS Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers
Want to read the last fifteen years’ Pakistan Affairs Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Pakistan Affairs coaches having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Pakistan Affairs
CSS Solved Current Affairs Past Papers
Want to read the last fifteen years’ Current Affairs Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Current Affairs coaches having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Current Affairs
