GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOSTRATEGIC

IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN
Pakistan emerges to be one of the most significant geographical
patches of Asia as
The country shares its eastern border called ‘Radcliffe Line’ with India.
On its northern side, it has Sino-Pak Border with China.
Its western fronts include the boundaries of ‘Durand Line’ with
Afghanistan (the longest boundary line) and ‘Gold Smith Line’ with
Iran.
The Arabian Sea has limited the South of the country.
• Geographical attributes of a state bring it both, some opportunities
to avail and some risks to evade. Pakistan availed the opportunities
from its geography but could escape the risks it posed. When a state
learns how to exploit its geography to the best of its political and
strategic interests the study which comes in shape is called
geostrategic and geopolitics.

• Being the gateway to Central Asia and a suitable route of access of

World Powers into land-locked Afghanistan, the geography of Pakistan
suffered from the side effects of the ‘New Great Game’ and the
‘Global War on Terrorism.’
GEOGRAPHICAL IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN

We can divide the importance of geography into two parts;

 Traditional Geographical Importance of Pakistan

 Modern Geographical Importance of Pakistan
 Traditional Geographical Importance of Pakistan
 Pakistan’s north-western border can be used as an access to the Central Asian
Republics (CARs) rich in natural resources. Wakhan, the narrow strip of Afghanistan is
between Tajikistan and Pakistan which if used as a transit route can benefit all the
countries in trade.

 Pakistan’s south western Border with Iran is of great significance in a trade with this oil
and gas-rich country.

 Eastern border of Pakistan with India has been quite less utilized than the potential it
carries. This can be a free trade route with India if the major conflicts between both the
states are resolved (e.g. The Kashmir Issue).

 Northern border of Pakistan with China provides another important route for access of
Chinese products in Pakistan.
Pakistan is the 7th world’s recognized and the only nuclear power in Islamic
world.

Pakistan is located almost in the centre of the Islamic block stretches from
Indonesia in the east to Morocco in the west.

Pakistan possesses the most fertile agricultural lands and one of world’s best
canal irrigation systems.

In terms of various agricultural crops, Pakistan is ranked in top ten countries i.e.
Wheat, Cotton, and Sugarcane etc.

The army of the Pakistan is the 6th most equipped and powerful army of the
world and serving on various missions and rehabilitation and peace making
activities throughout of the world
 Modern Geographical Importance of Pakistan
1. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
• The worth of $46 billion ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’ scheme, which is
being demonstrated as a ‘Game-Changer’ is more than a network of roads to link
Chinese city of Kashgar with the Gulf States via Gwadar of Pakistan.

• In the wake of CPEC, China is going to have the shortest route-access ever
available to the Middle Eastern, African, and European markets. For Pakistan, it
might be a new gain but to China, this access is a link to it long term strategic plan
to take over US control in the said regions.
2. Gwadar port
• Gwadar port is the nearest warm-water port to energy-rich Central Asian
Countries Bought from Oman in 1958, Gwadar has been developed into a warm-
water seaport which now operated by a Chinese company named ‘China
Overseas Port Holding Company’ under a 43 years agreed lease. The port is the
soul of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

• Pakistan’s Gwadar Port provides access to the ‘Gulf of Oman’ which extends via
‘Strait of Hormuz’ to form the ‘Persian Gulf’. This gulf is surrounded by Iran, UAE,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.

• Access to the Persian Gulf via Gwadar port means access to all these countries
most of which are rich in energy resources.
3. Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Pipeline (TAPI)
• The Asian Development Bank’s funded the project of TAPI which is the name of a
gas pipeline. Its aims to supply natural gas from the Caspian Sea to the four
countries.

• Pakistan due to its geographical nearness to this Central Asian Republic is seeking
benefit from the project. It also reflects the dependence of India on Pakistan for
having access to the natural resources of Central Asian Republics (CARs).

• The construction of the project commenced in December 2015, and it will be

functional by 2019.
4. Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline

• Also known as the ‘Peace Pipeline’ the project is another fruit of Pakistan's
geographic importance. The pipeline project was formally inaugurated in 2013,
but it's far from being operational due to several controversies. Particularly the
anti-Iran stance of the USA influenced Pakistan to abandon the project.

Things, however, have changed after the US-Iran Nuclear Deal and Iran is no more
under enormous sanctions. Pakistan at the same time never utterly gave up the
project. Good hopes are apparent for the future of this project.
5. Pakistan shares Marine Border with Oman
• Pakistan and Oman settled their maritime conflict under an agreement in 2000;
adhering to the International Law of Sea. This sharing of a maritime boundary
with the brotherly country of Oman can interpret Pakistan’s geographical
importance in the sense of access to Oman’s undersea energy resources.

• The sea route can also be used to have access to the Persian Gulf and its littoral
states.