Daily Times

In the present day method of globalization, the sources of threats have additionally diversified, and a multi-dimensional approach is required to address the new challenges. China believes that an army approach to dealing with safety troubles in South Asia will in addition damage the interests of nations in the region. Therefore, the pleasant strategy would be to center of attention on the promoting of economic, social and cultural ties which would be beneficial to unravel these troubles in a non-military way and will additionally promote regional security. This is why China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and engaged Pakistan via the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The tree of Pakistan-China friendship has been developing for many decades. The leaders of both nations have nurtured it passionately with a deep experience of strategic dedication for seventy years now. Together they have weathered all the crests and troughs of their challenging voyage and not noted all the regional and extra-regional pressures. Complementing each other at all worldwide forums, the countries’ leaders, with the aid of their people, ensured that this friendship developed into a strong bond.

Bearing in thinking the consequences of Pakistan’s regional troubles in the past, and the harm prompted because of its navy responses, China has supplied regional connectivity to promote peaceable coexistence. The brand new manifestation of this resolve is the CPEC, a flagship undertaking of the BRI which is promptly attaining every of its milestones. Since the inception of CPEC – a framework for regional connectivity and socioeconomic improvement – Pakistan has regarded ardent for a de facto shift in its overseas policy.

The pursuit of countrywide interests is the major driver of the foreign coverage of any state, and so it has been with Pakistan. For the past seventy years, Pakistan’s countrywide interest has been to try for safety and financial development. Consequently, safety and economic worries have governed the foreign policy of Pakistan. The country’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam, defined foreign coverage like this:

‘Our foreign coverage is one of friendliness and goodwill towards all the international locations of the world. We do now not cherish aggressive designs towards any country or nation. We agree with in the precept of honesty and truthful play in country wide and international dealings, and are organized to make our utmost contribution to the advertising of peace and prosperity amongst the international locations of the world.’

For the first half-decade for the reason that its founding, Pakistan pursued a coverage of non-alignment. However, faced with a number of safety and economic issues, the country’s overseas coverage chart remained unsteady. Ten years on from 1953, Pakistan remained part of the Western bloc. Following the Sino-Indian and Indo-Pak wars, and the resulting Shimla agreement in 1972, Pakistan pursued a coverage of non-alignment and bilateralism. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 pushed Pakistan lower back to US alliances, but the foreign coverage of Pakistan confronted a couple of challenges in the post-Cold War technology after the Soviet withdrawal. However, Pakistan as soon as again joined the US-led bloc as an associate in the Global War on Terror (GWOT) after 9/11.

Over the direction of its history Pakistan has faced many interior and exterior protection threats, and the scenario has end up in addition aggravated in the post-9/11 era. Sadly, due to persevering with instability, heaps of civilians and security personnel have died and as a result the usual progress of improvement in the country has come to a standstill.

How can Pakistan get out of the contemporary crisis, and what role can neighbouring international locations play in this regard? Pakistan and China are two necessary countries of South and East Asia and their collaboration is consequently vital for the establishment and preservation of balance in this essential location of the world.

A broader shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy has been noted due to the fact the launch of CPEC. The goals of CPEC are in line with the tenets of overseas coverage of Pakistan, namely: (1) develop friendly family members with all countries, in particular instant neighbours; (2) safeguard national safety and geo-strategic interests, such as Kashmir; and (3) make sure the ideal utilisation of country wide sources for regional and worldwide cooperation.

CPEC is now not a bilateral venture between China and Pakistan, but it will have a nice affect on the entire region. Rapid growth in the tempo of CPEC tasks has modified the dimensions of Pakistan’s overseas coverage with its neighbouring countries and different states in the region. In the wake of CPEC, the multiplied safety state of affairs in Pakistan has made it an appealing destination for overseas direct investment (FDI). Tajikistan, Iran, the UK and many different nations have expressed their willingness to be part of CPEC. Meanwhile, Pakistan has invited Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Russia to be part of CPEC.

Instead of paying heed to the moves of the US and India, Pakistan overseas coverage has targeted on regional integration, peaceable coexistence and socioeconomic development

It is the first time in the history of Pakistan that the execution of a venture has remained safe from political traits and regime change. Moreover, Pakistan has an independent foreign policy to promote regional integration and stability. In the past, it was financial dependence on the US and safety worries that generated Pakistan’s overseas policy. However, signing up to CPEC with the world’s second-largest financial system has raised Pakistan’s reputation in the world world order. Pakistan has initiated a friendly gesture closer to two rival states – Iran and Saudi Arabia – by inviting them to be part of CPEC.

Saudi Arabia is eager to set up an oil refinery at Gwadar port. Meanwhile, Iran has declared that its own port of Chabahar is now not a rival to Gwadar. Pakistan has welcomed these strikes for the greater regional interest, which can also help mitigate regional conflict. Moreover, unlike the past, Pakistan’s foreign coverage is neither primarily based on financial dependence on the US nor is it India-oriented. Despite America’s withdrawal of navy useful resource and Indian opposition to CPEC, Pakistan has not tried to please the US and continues with the implementation of CPEC.

China and Pakistan each favor Afghanistan to be part of CPEC. Pakistan is pursuing an overseas coverage of growing a peaceable and steady neighbourhood. In any other spoil with its past moves of joining blocs or being section of a proxy war, Pakistan has facilitated a round of peace talks between the US and the Afghan Taliban. And in spite of India’s aggressive behaviour, Pakistan has dispatched out a message of peace. Instead of paying heed to the moves of the US and India, Pakistan overseas coverage has targeted on regional integration, peaceable coexistence and socioeconomic development.

Strategic cooperation and interdependence between China and Pakistan has extended manifold in the post-9/11 era, usually due to CPEC and Pakistan’s strategic role in the region, and this cooperation will expand in addition in years to come.

The writer is Advisor (PITAC, Lahore operated under Federal Ministry of Industries and Production, Islamabad)and Foreign Research Associate (Centre of Excellence, CPEC, Islamabad)