22 January 2014 GEO-STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE 1

OF PAKISTAN
Shafiq -Ur-Rehman
Lecturer Of I.R
 WHAT IS GEO-STRATEGY?
 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF PAKISTAN
 GEO-STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN
1. PROXIMITY OF GREAT POWERS
2. GATEWAY TO CENTRAL ASIA
3. SIGNIFICANCE AS A TRANSIT ECONOMY
4. IMPORTANT LINK IN THE CHAIN OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES
5. ONLY MUSLIM COUNTRY WITH NUCLEAR CAPABILITY
6. CHINA'S LINK TO THE MIDDLE EAST
7. REDUCE INDIAN HEGEMONY IN THE ARABIAN SEA AND
INDIAN OCEAN

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 Geo means the Earth and strategy means planning, tactics and policy

 The term "geo-strategy" was first used by Frederick L. Schuman in his

1942 article "Let Us Learn Our Geopolitics."

 It was a translation of the German term "Wehrgeopolitik" as used by

German geostrategist Karl Haushofer.

 Many geostrategists are also geographers, specializing in subfields of

geography, such as human geography, political geography, economic

geography, cultural geography, military geography, and strategic

geography

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 “Geopolitical reflects the combination of geographic and
political factors determining the condition of a state or region,
and emphasizing the impact of geography on politics”
 “Strategic refers to the comprehensive and planned
application of measures to achieve a central goal or to vital
assets of military significance”
 “Geo-strategic merges strategic consideration with
geopolitical ones”
 Like NATO is a geostrategic military alliance

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 Pakistan is located in South East Asia
 24.35 North and 37.05 North latitude
 61 East to 78 East Longitude
 Area – 7,96096 sq km stretching over 1600 km from
North to South and about 885 Km from East to West
 Khyber Pass connects Pakistan and Afghanistan
 Khunjrab Pass links Pakistan and China
 Pakistan and Iran borders meet at Koh-i-Tuftan

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 Direction Country Land Boundary Historical Name
/Sea Length of boundary

East India 1650 Km Radcliffe line

West Iran 900 Km Gold Smith Line

North China 600 Km Sino-Pak border

North West Afghanistan 2250 Km Durand line

(1893)
North West Tajikistan 27 km
(Wakhan Strip)
South Arabian Sea 700 Km

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1. Proximity of Great powers
2. Gateway to Central Asia
3. Significance as a Transit economy
4. Important link in the chain of Muslim countries
5. Only Muslim country with nuclear capability
6. China's link to the Middle East
7. Reduce Indian hegemony in the Arabian Sea and
Indian Ocean
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 Russia and China are busy to give check to US Power in this region and in
other regions like Middle East, Africa, North America, Europe and Far East
ASIA
 US interests in this Region
1. Security
Policy of Pax –Americana in order to restraint world dynamics from Uni-
polarity to multi-polarity
US interest in the region to contain the growing china, nuclear Iran, terrorist
Afghanistan
2. Business
To benefit from the market of India and Central Asia

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 Central Asia is the center stage of new Great games: Western quest for

resources- oil and energy resources in the central Asia

 Pakistan is located very close to the oil rich M.E region and C.A States

 Pakistan can influence shipment of oil

 Iran is struggling to export its surplus gas and oil to Eastern countries,

Qatar, Pakistan and Turkmenistan pipeline projects highlight the position

 In this scare energy world, Pakistan can provide access from energy

efficient to energy deficient state

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 land locked Afghanistan now at the phase of reconstruction
finds its ways through Pakistan
 China with its fastest economy growth rate of 9% GDP
developing southern provinces because its own part is 4500
km away from Sinkiang but Gawader is 2500 km away
 Pakistan offers central Asian regions the shortest route of
2600 km as compared to Iran 4500 km or turkey 5000 km
 Gwadar Port with its deep waters attracts the trade ships of
china, CAR and south east Asian countries
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 Karakorum Highway Map
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 Geographically, Pakistan is situated at the centre of the Islamic
countries of Africa and Asia
 It is linked to these Muslim states through land and sea routes and
thus not only its ideological background, but its geographical centrality
necessities that it supports the unity of Muslim world
 Prior to the cessation of East Pakistan, it was the largest Islamic state
and naturally was in the vanguard of the movement for Islamic unity
 Even afterwards, it actively works for the mutual alliance and unity of
the Muslims

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 Pakistan is the only direct and shortest link between
China and the Middle East
 Gulf States possessing 63% of world’s oil reserves
 In development of this link PN plays an important role
by making Gwadar a fully functional port with support
of china
 Gwadar will prove instrumental in promoting trans-
shipment essentially of containerized cargo besides
unlocking the development potential for hinterland
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 India has a shared interests with the U.S and NATO in
the subjection of Pakistan
 As they consider Nuclear weapons of Pakistan as a
threat to Indian national security, NATO operations in
Afghanistan, and Israel
 Pakistan have nuclear deterrence since 1998. Pakistan
termed its nuclear bomb as “ISLAMIC BOMB” that
made it centre of attention in the world politics

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 The U.S, NATO, Israel, and India to neutralize such a strategic

and tactical threat from emerging in Pakistan

 They have made plan underpinned objective of Balkanizing

Pakistan

 It’s the reason on that the US has conspired with international

media against PAK NUKES

 Most importantly Pakistan has world best missile technology

and perceived enemies capitals are in Pakistan range like

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 1. Distance of Israel from Pakistan
Missiles Ranges
Miles 2085
Shaheen-3 4500 km Kilometers 3335
Ghori-3 3500 km (In range of Ghouri-3)

Babur-3 1500 km 2. Distance of USA from Islamabad

Washington 11388 km
Tipu-1 5000 km
White house 11600 km
Tipu-4 12000 km (In range of Tipu-4)

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 Stephen Cohn describes geostrategic importance of Pakistan in these

words,

“While history has been unkind to Pakistan, its geography has been

its greatest benefit. It has resource rich area in the north-west, people

rich in the north-east”

 Pakistan is a junction of South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia, a way from

resource efficient countries to resource deficient countries. The world is

facing energy crisis and terrorism. Pakistan is a route for transportation, and

a front line state against terrorism

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 To the east of Pakistan _________ is located.
 To the west of Pakistan __________is located.
 ____________ separates Pakistan from Tajikistan.
 Arabian sea is situated to the ________ of
Pakistan.
 Afghanistan is located to the __________.
 Pak- Sino border line is _________km long.
 Pak-India border is _________km long.
 Pakistan shares a longest boundary of ______km
with ______________.
 The coast line of Pakistan is _________long.
1. To the east of Pakistan __INDIA______ is located.
2. To the west of Pakistan __IRAN___is located.
3. _WAKHAN___ separates Pakistan from Tajikistan.
4. Arabian sea is situated to the _SOUTH____ of Pakistan.
5. Afghanistan is located to the ___N.WEST______.
6. Pak- Sino border line is __600___km long.
7. Pak-India border is __1650___km long.
8. Pakistan shares a longest boundary of _2250__km with
__Afghanistan___.
9. The coast line of Pakistan is _700km____long.
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1. Why is Pakistan very important from geostrategic point of view in the
world?

2. What role you will play to secure the geostrategic position of Pakistan?
Explain in detail
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1. Pakistan's Foreign Policy by Shahid M Amin,
oxford pub.
2. Pakistan Foreign Policy 1947-2012 by Abdul
sattar, oxford pub.
3. International affairs by by Dr Safdar
Mahmood
4. Monthly Current Affairs Magazine by Dr
Safdar Mahmood
5. www.worldatlas.com
6. www.dailydawn.com
7. www.wikipedia.org
8. www.mofa.gov.pk
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