The less explored foreign policy options & the connection between TAPI-CPEC and Afghanistan

By

Nasurullah Brohi

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Central Asia Republics (CARs), the countries with their huge economic potential have been less explored the foreign policy options of Pakistan.

Despite the fact that being located in the same region and exceptionally sharing common characteristics, the geo-political and geo-economic importance of Pakistan and CARs could naturally stimulate the two sides to reach out to each though.

Pakistan has always sustained a hope to become a gateway to Central Asia but aside from occasional efforts, the two sides have not been so successful in forging closer political and economic relations and, even after a period of three decades, Pakistan has yet to make any breakthrough into the Central Asian region.

Even though their immense richness in terms of energy and other natural resources, Pakistan could not benefit at the required levels. at least to address its energy issues through the bilateral relations with these countries. The gas fields of Uzbekistan are also overlooked whereas if the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Pipeline (TAPI) connected with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the region can linkup the natural gas resources of Uzbekistan that could easily overcome Pakistan’s energy crisis and would help boost the ties of the country with all the states in Central Asian region. The Central Asian region is vastly rich in untapped natural resources and being landlocked, having no sailing route and sea connection with the rest of the world is actually one of the foremost drawbacks that also decreases the chance of trade and exports for resources from this region. Even located in the immediate neighborhood, the South Asian region is colossally energy-starved.

However, together with the Gwadar Port of Pakistan and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project there is incomparable potential to spectacularly make over the regional dynamics in terms of trade, investment and development. It would be without any exaggeration to actually call it a game changer that would of course uplift the lives of about 3 billion people across China, Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. The Gwadar and CPEC have outstandingly brought the strategic and economic moments in favor of Pakistan and has twisted a wide range of opportunities for the country where it has assumed the position of economic pivot for the whole region.

The Central Asian States also utter enthusiasm of a regional linkage and eagerly are desirous to benefit from the projects that will remarkably assist in connecting the Central Asian countries for trading and exporting their energy resources to the European markets. Moreover, with the advent of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the regional geopolitics have also assumed new characteristics where the region and their people are going to be better connected than ever before. Notably, during the recent visit of Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in March 2016, the two sides keenly agreed to overcome their detachment and explore the options on enhancing trade, economic relations, energy sharing, people-to-people contacts and tourism. The particular focus also remained on the timely completion of the projects of extraordinary importance ranging from the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline to Dushanbe’s potential linkup with the CPEC. Moreover, the unique geo-economic and geo-political significance of both sides, Pakistan and Turkmenistan decided to pay special attention to establishing air, road and rail links on a priority basis.

The greater interests of the two sides link with TAPI and CPEC that would further move forward to improve the regional connectivity and serve the economic activity. The emergence of CPEC is unusually an incomparable trade route to discover the potential or the region, besides; Pakistan’s accession to the TIR (international road transport) convention is another surplus opportunity whereas; the TAPI could provide crucial linkage to CPEC. Nevertheless, with the initiation of the CPEC Project, the manifold options have increased the optimism about Pakistan benefiting from lucrative foreign trade and investment whereas, the Central Asian states into jumping aboard as well.

Finally, to make the long cherished dreams a resounding success, the reality lies with the facts of regional peace and stability. Nevertheless, the chaotic security situation in Afghanistan is purely a factor that could seriously undermine and hinge the linkage between Pakistan and the Central Asian States. The instable political and security situation in Afghanistan has gloomy repercussions for the rest of the region and the main reason for the delay in timely execution of the TAPI project conceived since the 1990s. Aware of its importance Pakistan considers the TAPI project a ‘trailblazing project’ that enables the region to become an energy hub and source of diplomatic networking; however, all possible efforts should be made to address the Afghan issue at a priority basis. The region’s economic development mainly depends on the fact that TAPI will only work if there is peace and stability in Afghanistan since the pipeline will pass through the northeastern part of the Afghanistan.

Nasurullah Brohi

Nasurullah Brohi is a Senior Research Associate at Strategic Vision Institute. He holds M.Phil and Masters Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad and Bachelors in Political Science. His areas of research are Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and NATO. His opinion articles appear in national and international newspapers, blogs and websites. The author may be reached at [email protected]