CSS Pakistan Affairs | Pakistan’s Geostrategic Importance
The following question of CSS Pakistan Affairs is solved by Hamza Aslam under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan 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-An overview of geographical location of Pakistan
3-Geo-strategic importance of the country
- ✓Border with the two economic giants
- Argument: China and India, the world’s two largest economies, can provide various trade and economic opportunities
- ✓Connect Central Asian Republics with the Indian Ocean
- Argument: The energy resources of CARs can be exposed to the rest of the world by providing a transit corridor
- ✓Proximity with the Middle East
- Argument: According to Vortex report, almost a fifth of the volume of the world’s total consumption of oil passes through this route per day
- ✓CPEC a Game Changer
- Argument: Part of billion the multinational project BRI helps in connectivity with the rest of the world
4-The Positive and Negative Outcomes Pakistan Has to Face Owing to its Location
4.1-Positive Effects
- ✓Epicenter of International Political Arena
- Argument: Border with countries that have a key role in setting world order
- ✓Development of Social institutions
- Argument: Received significant amount of aid, loans, and grants for the development of the social sector
4.2-Negative Effects
- ✓Issues in balancing of Foreign Policy
- Argument: Challenges in formulating neutral foreign policy
- ✓ Terrorism and Proxy wars
- Argument: Torn the social fabrics of society
5-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
1- Introduction
Pakistan holds a significant geostrategic location in the South Asian region. The geostrategic location of Pakistan enhances its worth in every corner of the world, which proves to be a win-win situation for the country. There are various variables that enhance the country’s geostrategic importance. One of the key features contributing to its geostrategic importance is the country’s territorial border with the world’s two economic giants, the Central Asian Republics and the Middle East. Having borders with the two world’s largest economies and energy-rich countries can help the country become a sustainable economy. Moreover, CPEC, a flagship project of BRI, has brought a billion dollars of investment into the country. The project has developed the rail and road infrastructure, special economic zones, energy projects, and Gwadar port. However, the strategic location of the country has greatly affected its social and political institutions in both good and bad manners. It has strengthened its position in the political arena because of its borders with those countries that are key players in setting world order. On the contrary, it has become a challenge to formulate a neutral foreign policy. The establishment of good relations with one country makes the rival of another, as in the case of the USA and China, in which the country faces a lot of troubles in balancing relations with both. Besides, the country has received a significant amount of grants, loans, and aid for the development of social institutions because it remains a key ally of the US in the Cold War and the War on Terror. On the other hand, support for the US in the Cold War and the War on Terror has prevailed in terrorism and sparked proxy wars in the country. As a result, social institutions have suffered a lot of losses. According to American political scientist Stephen Cohen, “While history has been unkind to Pakistan, its geography has been its greatest benefit.” In conclusion, the geostrategic location, along with many benefits, has brought many challenges to the country’s social and political sectors.
2-An overview of geographical location of Pakistan
Pakistan, being located at the crossroads of South Asia, is a key player in regional and international affairs. It has a territorial border with China, India, Iran, and Afghanistan. China is located in the northeast, India in the East, Afghanistan in the west, Iran in the south-west, and the Arabian Sea in the South. Furthermore, it is connected with Central Asian Republics (CARs) via the Wakhan corridor and provides these landlocked countries with access to the sea routes. Besides that, it is located in proximity to the Persian Gulf and also has a shared sea border with Oman. Therefore, the country’s location on the intersecting point of Central Asia, South West Asia, and the countries of South Asia makes it important for the region and the world.
3-Geo-strategic importance of the country
Pakistan occupies a key geo strategic location in the South Asian region and remains an important country for the world. Here are the few features that described the geostrategic importance of the country.
- ✓Border with the two economic giants
The neighbourhoods of prosperous countries provide a number of opportunities for prosperous countries to become prosperous. China, the second largest global economy, and India, the fifth largest economy, because of their advancements in industrial, technological, and agricultural sectors can provide the country with various opportunities for developing its economy. The exchange of goods, technology, modern machinery, and industrial equipment by harnessing the potential of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and Barter Trade systems can increase the pace of the country’s development. Moreover, both China and India are the world’s largest consumer markets, providing the country an edge in selling its products in these markets. It would help the country’s industrial sector flourish and ultimately lead the country towards a sustainable economy.
- ✓Connect Central Asian Republics with the Indian Ocean
The Central Asian Republics (CARs) are landlocked but rich in energy resources. The shortest path through which they can expose their energy resources to the world passes through Pakistan. These countries are connected with Pakistan through the Wakhan corridor, and they can get access to the Arabian Sea through this path. By providing transit corridors to CARs, the country can easily overcome the challenges of energy security and economy. Due to its geostrategic position, it has become a part of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project. The project was expected to be completed in 2020, but because of various hurdles, it has not yet been completed.
- ✓Proximity with the Middle East
Pakistan is located in proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, which is considered the crucial choke point of the oil trade. It is the world’s most important oil artery. According to the Vortex report, arround 20.5 million barrels per day (bpd) crude oil, condensate and oil products passed through Strait of Hormuz in January-September 2023. Almost a fifth of the world’s total consumption of oil passes through this route per day. Due to the significant importance of the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan is an important factor that can help streamline the world oil trade. Moreover, Pakistan is also dependent on the Middle East to fulfil its oil needs, so being present in its proximity helps the country to meet its needs easily.
- ✓CPEC a Game Changer
CPEC, the pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has added great value to the strategic position of the country. CPEC, a 63 bn project, was started in 2015 and is expected to be completed in 2030. The project has developed the country’s rail and road infrastructure, established Special Economic Zones (SEZs), constructed Energy power plants, and developed Gwadar, especially Gwadar port. China has invested in the country because it provides the shortest and safest route for its transportation of oil and trade with Western countries. Thus, the completion of the project would become a game changer for Pakistan and help it significantly in driving toward a sustainable economy.
4-Geo-strategic location effects on the development of social and political institutions
The geostrategic location of the country has greatly affected its social and political institutions. Some of the effects on these institutions are illustrated below.
4.1-Positive Effects
- ✓Epicenter of International Political Arena
Due to its geostrategic location, Pakistan has a key role in the international political arena. It has a border with those countries that have a significant role in making world order. Consequently, it makes the country an important figure in global politics. For instance, Pakistan has a border with Afghanistan, the state that was declared a terrorist state after the 9/11 incident. Before starting the War on Terror in Afghanistan, the superpower asked for the support of Pakistan because it had an idea that without its support, it would not be easy for them to achieve its goal. In this way, the geostrategic location has made the country important for the world in combating terrorism. As in the case of China, America has a tussle with China because of the desire to keep its hegemony in the region. To maintain a balance of power in the region, Pakistan is an important country that seeks the attention of both China and the USA.
- ✓Development of Social institutions
As in the past, due to its geostrategic position, Pakistan played a crucial role in the Cold War and War on Terror. Being a key ally of the USA in both of these wars, the country has received a large amount of aid, grants, and loans. Apart from military aid, a major chunk of aid was specified for the development of social institutions. Therefore, foreign aid was spent on social institutions through various programs to provide better basic facilities and improve the standard of living. As a result, the country’s social institutions, such as health, education, and services sectors, have been developed to some extent.
4.2-Negative Effects
- ✓Issues in balancing foreign policy
Pakistan, because of its significant role in the world’s great game, has faced various challenges in the formulation of a neutral foreign policy. Due to its geostrategic location, it has remained a part of different blocs, which have greatly affected its foreign relations. For instance, a good relationship with China and Russia has resulted in the acquisition of adversaries from the USA and India. Furthermore, the influences of external forces on foreign policy have left the country with limited options. As a result, the country has to dance to foreign tunes and make compromises on its sovereignty. Hence, the geostrategic location of the country has become an obstacle in the formulation of a neutral foreign policy.
- ✓ Terrorism and Proxy wars
At the time of the Cold War, the USA realized the geo-strategic importance of the newly formed state and used it to disintegrate the USSR. Similarly, after the 9/11 incident, America again used the country in the War on Terror to combat terrorism. Due to supporting the US in its wars, the country has become vulnerable to terrorism and proxy wars. They have undermined the security conditions and spread a wave of terror among the people. As a result of terrorism and proxy wars, the country has borne huge losses of lives and economy. Recently, Pakistan has been confronting a new wave of terrorism. An upsurge of terrorism in the country has destroyed peace and torn the social fabric of society.
5-Conclusion
In a nutshell, Pakistan, being located at the crossroads of South Asia, has great geostrategic importance. Its proximity with Central Asia, west Asia, and the world’s two largest economies gives it a key standing in the region and the world. Nevertheless, the strategic location of the country has significantly affected its social and political institutions and inflicted various benefits and losses on them. Its location has given it a centric role in the regional and international political arena. On the other hand, geostrategic location has become a challenge for countries in developing balanced relations with foreign countries. Besides, Pakistan’s support of the US in the Cold War and the war on terror has given room to terrorism and proxy wars and, consequently, deteriorated the peace of society. Hence, the geostrategic location of the country is like a double-sided sword; however, its sagacious use made it a blessing for the country.
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