In recent years, Pakistan has strategically shifted its foreign policy focus from geo-politics to geo-economics, prioritizing economic cooperation, trade, and energy partnerships, particularly with the Central Asian Republics (CARs).
This pivot aligns with Pakistan’s broader vision to emerge as a regional trade and energy hub, taking advantage of its strategic location besides affording the landlocked Central Asian nation’s access to Arabian Sea. In past two years, there has been a surge in diplomatic engagements, trade agreements, and infrastructure projects that have strengthened Pakistan’s ties with CARs and Azerbaijan, underscoring the progress of this shift toward geo-economics.
Pakistan’s pivot to geo-economics has been a response to the country’s pressing need for economic growth, regional stability, and energy security. With its geostrategic location linking South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia Pakistan has positioned itself as a gateway for trade and energy, especially through initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Central to this strategy is enhancing connectivity with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, a resource-rich region eager to access the global markets.
The CARs—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan—along with Azerbaijan, offer Pakistan the opportunity to strengthen regional integration and open up new economic corridors. This vision is bolstered by the desire of CARs and Azerbaijan to reduce their dependence on traditional northern trade routes and gain direct access to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan’s ports, particularly Gwadar.
In the past years, Pakistan has significantly expanded its diplomatic engagements with CARs and Azerbaijan, setting the foundation for long-term economic and strategic partnerships.
Uzbekistan has been at the forefront of Pakistan’s geoeconomic outreach in Central Asia. A notable development........