Geo-Strategic Importance Of Pakistan

Submitted To: Sir Hafiz Akbar Saeed

Submitted By: Ambreen Fatima

Maryam Shahid

Jannat Farooqi

Date: 20-November-2018

Department Of Management Sciences

 Table of Content

GEO STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE OF PAKISTAN............................................................................................... 1

PAKISTAN’S GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND ITS BOUNDARIES................................................................... 1

Location:.................................................................................................................................................... 1

Boundaries: ............................................................................................................................................... 1

 Borders with Afghanistan: ................................................................................................................ 2

 Borders with China:........................................................................................................................... 2

 Borders with India: ............................................................................................................................ 2

 Borders with Iran: ............................................................................................................................. 3

 Arabian Sea: ...................................................................................................................................... 3

GEO STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN ............................................................................................... 3

Proximity of the major powers:................................................................................................................. 3

Gate way to the Central Asia: ................................................................................................................... 3

Importance as a transit economy: ............................................................................................................ 4

Muslim country only with the nuclear competency: ................................................................................. 4

Important link in the Muslim countries chain: .......................................................................................... 4

Importance of Pakistan with respect to trade: ......................................................................................... 5

PAKISTAN GEOGRAPHICAL ALLIANCES ......................................................................................................... 5

Pakistan - China: ....................................................................................................................................... 5

 Pakistan -Turkey:....................................................................................................................................... 6

Pakistan-Russia: ........................................................................................................................................ 7

Pakistan- Iran: ........................................................................................................................................... 8

THREATS TO PAKISTAN: ................................................................................................................................ 9

Overview: .................................................................................................................................................. 9

India: ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

Afghanistan: ............................................................................................................................................ 11

IMPACT OF GEOSTRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT ON PAKISTAN’S ECONOMY: ................................................. 12

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 15
 GEO STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE OF PAKISTAN

Geo means “Earth” and strategy means “policy and tactics”. Frederick L. Schuman first used the

word “Geo Strategy”. Significance of a country and area because of its location is known as Geo

strategic. An area or place may be important with respect to strategy for the variety of reasons such

as;

 At the junction of super powers.

 Close to areas having rich minerals.

 Reservoir of natural resources such as oil, gas, ores, iron etc.

Pakistan is situated in a region of great economic, strategic and political importance. It’s been a

hub of great activities. Stephen Cohn describes this importance, “Although the history of Pakistan

was very unfriendly, its geographic has been its greatest profit.”

PAKISTAN’S GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND ITS BOUNDARIES

Location:

Pakistan is located in South Asia. It is in between 24 and 36.5 latitudes north besides 61 and 75.5

latitudes east. Pakistan’s area is approximately 796096 kilometers square. It is the thirty-third

largest country with the population exceeding 197 million (2007).

Boundaries:

Pakistan covers a significant position of geo-strategic importance, surrounded by Iran to the West,

Afghanistan to the North-West, China to the North-East, India to the East and Arabian Sea to the

South.

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 Borders with Afghanistan:

Afghanistan is located in the North-Western Pakistan. Border of Afghanistan and

Pakistan is about 2,250 kilometers long. The border between these two countries are

called “Durand Line” and it had been drawn in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand.

 Borders with China:

The frontier between China and Pakistan is generally about 520 kilometers and ends near

Karakorum pass/ silk route. The line was established in series of agreement between

China and Pakistan between 1961 and 1965. The relation between these two countries are

warm and friendly. China helped Pakistan in many projects.

 Borders with India:

India and Pakistan border normally identified as the “IB” international border, is the

border between Pakistan and India. Islamic Republic of Pakistan borders India to the

East. The border arose out of Bharat division in 1947. Wagah, the traditional crossing

point between Bharat and Pakistan is located at this border between the Indian town of

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 Amritsar and also the Lahore, Pakistan. The (LOC) Line Of Control divides the Jamu and

Kashmir from Azad Kashmir of Pakistan.

 Borders with Iran:

The borders with Iran, about 800 kilometers long, was initial set by the British

Commission in 1893. Frontier agreement was signed between Pakistan and Iran in 1957,

later then the border between the two countries was not a major issue.

 Arabian Sea:

Arabian Sea lies in the South of Pakistan, as well as the coastline belt is just about

700km.

Significance of Pakistan is increased because it is close to the Persian Gulf, where 65th of

the world’s lubricant is made.

GEO STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN

Proximity of the major powers:

Pakistan is found at the crossroad of major powers. Pakistan is closest to nuclear Iran, terrorist

Afghanistan and the Indian’s satisfactory market. One super power of its neighbor is Russia and

the other rising power is China. Every relationship or alliance among the major powers has

increased its worth.

Gate way to the Central Asia:

Pakistan is on the joint of Central Asia, Western Asia and South Asia. Islamic Republic of Pakistan

is possibly a bridge and entry to Central Asian, Western and South Asian countries. It is at a way

from resource economical countries to resource lacking countries in these areas. Pakistan is also

set terribly near to the Middle Eastern oil rich countries. The belt originated in Iran and prolonged

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into Saudi Arabia. Pakistan can thus stimulate the transportation of oil. In energy threatened world,

Pakistan is positioned in the center of energy rich countries that is Afghanistan in addition to Iran.

The country’s geo-strategic significance increases with China’s short distance to Indian Ocean and

the Arabian Sea via the Karakorum highway.

Importance as a transit economy:

With its strategic location, Pakistan has the ability to improve the transit economy. The Land

locked Afghanistan now is at the reconstruction stage. It is primarily connected to the outside

world via Pakistan. China is developing the Southern provinces with its fastest economic progress

rate of 9 percent( now slowing down to 7.3 percent however still significantly important) because

its own part is 4500kilometer from Sinkiang but Gwadar is 2500kilometer away. In addition,

Pakistan offers Central Asian areas a 2600 kilometer direct route as compared with Iran 4500

kilometer or Turkey 5000 kilometer. Gwadar port with its deep waters fascinates the Chinese and

South East Asian trade ships.

Muslim country only with the nuclear competency:

Pakistan is the only Muslim country in the region who has nuclear ability that carry a great effect

in political and socio-economic activities inside the region and therefore maintenance of state

affairs in the region.

Important link in the Muslim countries chain:

Geographically, Pakistan is located at the midpoint of African and Asian Muslim countries. It is

connected to these Muslim states through land and ocean routes and thus not solely its ideological

background, but its geographical centrality necessities that it supports the harmony of Muslim

world.

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Importance of Pakistan with respect to trade:

By Arabian Sea, Pakistan has access to warm waters. Pakistan can trade whole year by using

Arabian Sea which is the paradise of trading. Pakistan is an entrance to trade in East areas and

also in Indonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Australia. Pakistan act as significant trade

gateway for china to move on towards the Middle Eastern countries (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq

etc.) trade markets and Arabian countries (Bahrain, Egypt) trade market.

PAKISTAN GEOGRAPHICAL ALLIANCES

Alliance is a formal relationship between two or more groups or nations to cooperate for specific

achievement.

Following are some Pakistan’s geographical alliances.

Pakistan - China:

The two countries formally established their diplomatic relations on 21 May 1951. On 2 March

1963, Chen Yi, Foreign Minister of the Chinese, and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Foreign Minister of

Pakistan, made a boundary agreement on China’s Xinjiang and the adjacent areas whose guard

was under the charge of Pakistan.

On March 1965, government representatives of both Chinese and Pakistan inscribed the Cultural

Agreement at Rawalpindi, and first time present the annual cultural exchanges plan. On August

1982, the both countries signed a procedure to open the Khunjerab Pass Sino-Pakistan border. The

highway connects provinces of Pakistan (Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit – Baltistan)

with the Region of China named Xinjiang. The highway is fashionable tourist attraction and

highest tiled roads in the world, the road is passing through the range of Karakoram, at a maximum

altitude of 4,714 meters (15,466 ft) near Khunjerab. The road is also part of the Asian Highway.

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Even as Pakistan and China have momentous trade relations, there was a spin in bilateral trade as

the two countries signed on 24 November 2006 –China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA),

that came into force on July 2007.The main goal of agreement was to encourage bilateral trade and

enhance reciprocal market access to goods. In accordance with the Tariff Reduction Modalities

(TRM), both sides presented tariff elimination on nearly 36% of the whole tariff lines over the 1st

three years of Phase I implementation (finished in 2012). The second part of the CPFTA

negotiation started in 2013 to further reduce tariffs. This phase has not yet been completed,

however, and negotiations are still ongoing.

The Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is currently considered a game changer, not

only for both countries, but as well as for the whole region. In fact, this is a designed network of

roads, railways and energy projects intended to link the Gwadar port of Pakistan with the Xinjiang

province of China, as well as helping Pakistan to improve its supply side. For China, this short

route can also be another way to the sea route through the Malacca Strait. In this respect, the two

countries focus on improving trade interaction with the world via this new route.

Pakistan -Turkey:

Turkey established political relations shortly after 1947 independence and bilateral relations grew

more due to cultural, spiritual and geopolitical links among the two countries.

The Friendship and Cooperation Agreement between Turkey and Pakistan was signed in February

1954. In order to ensure that the agreement does not harm relations with India, Turkey stressed

that the pact with Pakistan would enhance the region's peace and prosperity. Turkey's Prime

Minister Adnan Menderes has also played a mediating role in resolving problems between Pakistan

and Afghanistan.

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Turkey and Pakistan provided political and military support each other in the 1970s. Ankara helped

Pakistan diplomatically and militarily during Bangladesh's independence process and did not

recognize Bangladesh until Pakistan became independent. With regard to the Cyprus question,

Pakistan fully supported Turkey and supplied it with military logistics.

In 2004, cooperation treaties to combat international terrorism and organized crime were also

signed by parties. Turkey has also helped Pakistan in the 2000s after its earthquakes and floods.

The countries also decided to extend to Afghanistan the existing rail network in Turkey and

Pakistan to begin links between their relevant industries, such as telecommunications and energy.

Pakistan-Russia:

The period between 1962 and 1971 in Pakistan’s relationship with Russia was a rethinking stage.

In the early 60s, strains in Pak-us relations began to manifest. In the Sino - Indian border war of

1962, Us and some other western countries decided to support India with military weapons and

other equipment. Pakistan was further disillusioned by US when US failed to fulfill its promise to

play a part in the Kashmir clash. Pakistan therefore decided to establish a relationship with non -

Western countries. In April 1965, during President Ayub Khan 's visit to Russia various MOUs

were inscribed covering collaboration in trade, supply of oil discovery machinery and cultural

exchanges .In 1966 and 1968 Pakistani and Russian military delegations also exchanged.

Throughout President Yahya Khan’s visit to Moscow in 1970, the agreement to build Pakistan's

steel mills in Karachi was signed. After 9/11 September, Russia pushed closer to Pakistan. The

biggest motive behind the Pakistan Russian relations are Russia’s apprehension for security

particularly fighting for terrorism and peace in Afghanistan.

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In 2014 Pakistan's daily oil consumption was expected to be 437 barrels per day, with only 81

barrels a day in 2013. So, to fix the short - term fall in consumption and oil production, Pakistan

has to import large quantities from the gulf countries. Russia has plenty of oil, coal, and gas to

help meet the growing needs of Pakistan.

The first Russian exhibition took place in Karachi in 2014, where the heavy and light industrial

goods were displayed. The Russian vnesh torgov bank offered financial transaction cooperation to

facilitate trade flows between two countries.

Pakistan- Iran:

Pakistan and Iran are closed neighbors, sharing 909 kilometer western border. Pakistan's

relationship with Iran began when the Pakistan Prime Minister visited Iran in 1949 and when Shah

of Iran returned, he visited Pakistan with cabinet members. In May 1950 a friendship agreement

was signed between Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Canada for shared collaboration, protection and

non-involvement in the affairs of each other. Iran supplied Pakistan with nurses, medical supplies

and oil free of charge during the war between Pakistan and India in 1965, to increase more its

alliance, Iran also engage himself in the relationship with Pakistan Northern neighbor. Iran also

took part in the normalization of relations between both Pakistan-Afghanistan during the 1960s

and again in 1976. President George Bush met with General Zia in 1984 with an idea to use the

Baloch region as a gateway to make interventions in Iran, Gen.Zia totally discarded him. The

official visit of Khamenei to Islamabad in February 1986 marked the persistence of the strategic

affiliation between both Iran and Pakistan. Iran and Pakistan signed the Kabul statement on good

neighborly relations in December 2002.

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The negotiations on the Iran - Pakistan gas pipeline began in 1994 and signed their first gas pipeline

agreement in February 2010, linking the Persian Gulf’s Iranian South Pars natural gas field with

Karachi. In 2000, Indian, Iranian, Pakistani officials carry on negotiating the possible routes,

transport modes and geopolitics of the Iranian pipeline to the India.

On July 1989, Pakistan –Iran defense agreement was made. Iran is involved in production of Al-

Khalid tanks.

Army Chief of Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa spoke with the Iranian Chief of Staff named Maj Gen

Mohammad Bagheri, on 12 November 2018 together with a delegation at the GHQ. The visiting

Iranian commander " calls on the two brotherly countries to continue working for better relations.

Gen Bajwa believed the architect of improving the relationship between both countries Pakistan

and Iran, mainly in the military. A year ago, he made an exceptional visit to Iran, which paved a

way for better cooperation.

Since the improvement of armed relations was based on collaboration in border security

discussions of the border management was also at the forefront of Gen Bagheri's meetup with Gen

Bajwa. Regional security was another important issue in the agenda of their meetup.

THREATS TO PAKISTAN:

Overview:

Pakistan has continuously been confronting external dangers to its regional integrity just from its

date of independence. Occasional residential changes alongside inside disruption further confused

the circumstance. Due to its sandwiched location among Afghanistan & India, Pakistan's security

conditions have been impacted severely. The main reason behind such impact is the critical

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relations Pakistan has with its neighboring countries i.e. Afghanistan and India. In case of Pakistan,

the most challenging security issue arise with India. Currently, Pakistan is facing two prominent

risk situations, the enduring danger from Afghanistan and India, the danger radiating from

changing residential circumstance. Threats from Afghanistan and India make a considerable call

for the security organizations of Pakistan. The developments following 9/11 have even worsen the

circumstances.

India:

Right from the independence, Pakistan and India have fought three major wars (1948,

1965, & 1971), seen two substantial boundary conflicts (Rann of Kutch in 1965, & Kargil in 1999)

experienced three noteworthy emergencies (Brass tack in 1987, Kashmir in 1990, and troops

showdown in 20012), and had countless fires along the Line of Control. For sure it must be an

unenviable record for any two neighbor’s, particularly between two creating nations. Profound

established doubts, shared doubt, and enmity keep on upsetting the Pakistan India relations even

after 65 years of independence.

Continuous firing by the Indian security powers along the control line and working

boundary aiming civilian against the ceasefire agreement of 2003. The Indian side does not appear

to be slanted to put a conclusion to its antagonistic adventurism despite rehashed challenges by

Pakistan and its eagerness to take part in a discourse procedure to defuse the circumstance,

continuation of which could have devastating results for harmony and security in the region.

Apparently Indian security powers have completed in excess of 1,050 ceasefire along the LOC and

the Working Boundary in 2018 bringing about the suffering of 28 innocent people and making

wounds 117 individuals. Pakistan, frankly, has indicated amazing restriction in declining to

heighten the circumstance and constantly selected strategic activities to normal the circumstance.

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Second significant danger Pakistan have from India is that India is doing intermediary war against

Pakistan by helping Afghanistan on the adage of US. India provided four helicopters to

Afghanistan military in Dec 2015. India also gave military training to Afghan security staff which

had helped Afghanistan in progression of its military capacity, which is tuned in to the goal of

NATO and the U.S.

Afghanistan:

The second major threat to Pakistan come from Afghanistan. The risk from Afghanistan did not

secure disturbing extent until the Soviets attacked Afghanistan in December 1979. From that point

forward, Pakistan Afghanistan relations have encountered numerous ups and downs. Post 9/11

developments make the situation further complex. It is valid in vital terms that in perspective of

Afghanistan's inner issues (counting the progressing common war) and the relative military

mediocrity, it can't represent a genuine danger to Pakistan's security. But the threat of likely drop

out from Afghanistan's political unsteadiness into the neighboring territories of Pakistan can't be

ignored.

Pakistan's Afghan relation seems more complicated than it should be. Fundamentally, this spins

around the strategic relation approach for Afghanistan government. There are few prominent issues

which have been impacting Pak-Afghan relation since Pakistan became an autonomous nation,

and each of it has incurred significant damage on the Pak-Afghan relations. These issues

incorporate unlimited rumors in terms of Taliban's association with Pakistan, the status of the

Durand Line, Afghanistan & India relations, the presence of external influencers (i.e. NATO &

American.

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IMPACT OF GEOSTRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT ON PAKISTAN’S ECONOMY:

The geostrategic position of any nation assumes a critical job in deciding the local and foreign

issues of a nation. It greatly affects the economy of a nation. It decides if the foreign investment is

to be welcomed or not. Soundness in geostrategic condition prompts more noteworthy

participation among the foreign actors which improves the monetary development.

After the Cold War era, the monetary globalization dug in itself more profound into the area where

Pakistan is found. Pakistan's provincial policies molded themselves on new financial lines. This

enabled Pakistan to get profits by monetary cooperative energies and the coordinated effort among

foreign actors expanded.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor thus came as a result of changing political and financial ranges

of the region and because of this, the collaboration among Pakistan and China expanded. CPEC is

a significant and commonly gainful Endeavour for the two states. It will be a win-win circumstance

for the two states which will take the vital and monetary association higher than ever. CPEC will

assist China with countering U.S impact in Asia. It will prompt the advancement of exchange

courses among Xinjiang and Gwadar Port. Because of this, new business openings will develop

for local people prompting monetary development. Extra advantages of CPEC incorporate

upgraded security participation, advancement of individuals to individuals contact and includes

the provincial and additional territorial performer’s collaboration i.e. Central Asian Republics. As

highlighted by reports, CPEC-related projects will create roughly 700,000 direct jobs between

2015 to 2030 & will help raising Pakistan’s GDP rate to 7.5 percent, totaling 2.5 rate focuses to

the nation's current GDP rate of 5 percent. On the off chance that all tasks go well it will include

vitality and framework to the nation. As mentioned by China Daily, these undertakings would add

up to 16,400 MW of energy altogether.

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Pakistan isn't just profiting by China yet in addition from Afghanistan, India, Iran and Central

Asian republics. The government of Pakistan had been attempting to make a diplomatic

neighborhood with the goal that the primary national goal of financial improvement could be

sought after. Building a diplomatic neighborhood is the center point of Pakistan's government.

Pakistan additionally funding China's attention for Afghanistan in the financial domain, because

of which Pakistan and Iran got connected on the issues identified with Afghanistan. Pakistan-Iran

improved their participation with respect to the advancements in Afghanistan; stable Afghanistan

would prompt stable monetary conditions in both Pakistan and Iran.

Provincial collaboration and dynamic commitment of regional players can prompt acquiring of

monetary objectives. Pakistan additionally has a power to assume a job as a course between energy

rich Central Asia and energy rare South Asia. Access to energy is of imperative significance and

it has been forming the geopolitical condition and relations among the real powers and provincial

states.

The regional situation would give more space to China-Russian strength in Asian pipeline

framework and its appropriation. Pakistan can turn into an energy exchange gateway for the oil

and gas pipeline from Iran, Turkmenistan and Qatar. IPI gas pipeline and TAPI to be materialized

should not become a victim of foreign intervention and sanctions. So also as indicated by the

sentiment with respect to U.S exchange help balance, the two-way add up to products exchange

was $5.3 billion in post-2014 time. U.S imports from Pakistan was $3.7 billion dollar in post-2014

time, 1.6 percent expansion from 2012 and 46 percent increment from 2003, the U.S exports to

Pakistan added up to $1.6 billion, 7.7 percent from 2012 and 95 percent increment from 2003.

South Asia relentlessly stays one of the slightest incorporated districts of the world and India would

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do well to give Pakistan access to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan for exchange, while Pakistan can

be a course to India to set up connections with Central Asia through Afghanistan.

In the same way EU has extraordinary significance in trading with Pakistan. In post-2014 the trade

among EU and Pakistan was $8.2 billion. The European Commission explained that the exports

from Pakistan would increase by 574 million dollars for each year. EU fiscally helps Pakistan in

monetary changes and let enhance framework and government abilities in Pakistan.

Pakistan's connection with the Russian Federation are developing consistently. The two nations

are participating intently at the UN and SCO. Both offer a same interest for advancing harmony in

Central Asia. Pakistan look for Russia's participation in building energy passages, monetary

linkages and street and rail systems connecting Central Asia with Pakistan.

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REFERENCES

 http://www.sbp.org.pk/publications/staff-notes/Pak-China-trade-balance.pdf

 http://www.mei.edu/publications/turkey-pakistan-security-relations-1950s

 https://www.slideshare.net/GulandamMian1/pakrussian-relations

 https://jafriedel.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/iran-pakistan-relations/

 https://www.dawn.com/news/1420539

 https://www.globalvillagespace.com/pakistans-geostrategic-environment-and-its-impact-

on-the-economy/

 https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2018/05/24/indian-threat-to-regional-security/

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlestiefer/2016/08/13/war-between-india-with-the-us-

and-pakistan-started-this-week-in-afghanistan-proxy-war-that-is/#5c6cd706367e

 http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/english/publication/joint_research/series9/pdf/10.pdf

 https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/geo-strategic-significance-of-pakistan.269246/
 https://www.scribd.com/document/119911041/geo-strategic-significance-of-pakistan

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