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Changing Regional Apparatus and Role of Pakistan in

the Region
Mushtaq Ahmad Mahindro
With around 220 million people Pakistan is the 6th largest country in the world. Area
wise it is 36th. It is geopolitically important as it is located at the crossroads of East Asia, the
Middle East, Central Asia, and the Arabian Sea. It has a 1046 KM long coastline along the Arabian
Sea and the Gulf of Oman. It is bordered by India, China, Afghanistan, and Iran, and is separated
from Tajikistan by Afghanistan just by 20 KM wide WA khan strip in the north Pakistan also
shares a maritime border with Oman.

Pakistan is a regional Middle power next to India in South Asia and has a seventh largest
standing armed forces in the world with a declared Nuclear weapon state, the only in the Muslim
world. It is a semi-industrialized economy with a well-integrated agricultural setup. It is the 41st
largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP and is characterized as one of the emerging
economies of the world. Nearly 7-million Pakistani diaspora mainly in Saudi Arabia, UAE,
Kuwait, Australia, Canada, USA, UK, and Norway contributes more than $US12 billion to the
economy.

The textile industry of Pakistan enjoys a pivotal position in the exports of Pakistan and is the
8th largest exporter of textile products in Asia. It is the 4th largest producer of cotton with the third
largest spinning capacity in Asia after China and India.

It is a member of UNO, CW, ECO, SAARC, OIC, Asian Infrastructure Investment bank led
by China, D8, and G20 developing nations.
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Economist has released a very promising report about Pakistan’s economy, indicating a growth
rate of 4.7 percent during the current financial year. This along with bringing down the terrorist
activities as a result of Zarb-e-azb launched by the armed forces against the terrorists, and Rangers’
onslaught on the criminals in Karachi added a new dimension to the confidence of Pakistan. China-
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) agreement and America’s clearance of Foreign Military Sale
of Viper Attack Helicopters and Hellfire II Missiles to Pakistan have been instrumental in
generating this confidence. Pakistan has also achieved a balanced approach at the international
level by cultivating relations with Russia which has culminated into a Defense Agreement and
procurement of MI-35M helicopters.

Pakistan’s policy towards the Taliban and agreeing them to bring the negotiation table with
the USA in Doha has received admiration at the international level. Along with progress made on
CPEC China has also committed to sell submarines to Pakistan.

Arrogant India has always been a source of regional instability, particularly for Pakistan
particularly while viewing in the backdrop of February 2019 Balakot air attack by the Indian
aircraft. The way the Afghan militants are carrying out cross-border attacks into Pakistan is
sufficient to prove that secret agencies like Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad which have a well-
established collective network in Afghanistan are fully on the back of these incursions to
destabilize Pakistan.

Afghanistan is also acting as a hub from where these secret agencies are sending logistic
support to Baloch separatist elements. Besides personnel of security agencies in Baluchistan, these
foreign-backed elements kidnapped and killed many innocent people particularly Chinese
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nationals so as to keep them away from Pakistan to cultivate any constructive relationship.
However, at the time of withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2014 their equipment
was moved via Pakistani route. Nonetheless, in the post-2014 scenario, despite the presence of
American troops on small scale, India, which is assisting the Northern Alliance against the Afghan
militants, does not seem in a position to counter the Taliban guerrilla warfare as a substitute of
NATO. Afghanistan thus appears to remain in an era of uncertainty and civil war. So, to be
realistic, the USA and other western countries should realize that unlike India, Pakistan shares
common geographical, historical, religious and cultural bonds with Afghanistan. Therefore the
US must invoke Pakistani role instead of India to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan and the
region at large.

Pakistan and the region around is extremely exposed to extremism. In the past terrorist’s
attacks have been carried out all over Pakistan with much larger intensity in KPK, Baluchistan,
and Karachi mostly against the Shia community and Governmental organizations and personnel.
This has inter alia resulted in strained relations with Iran. Pakistan’s reluctance to send troops to
fight against the Houthi Shia rebels in Yemen in line with Saudi Arabia wish was in the background
of emerging concerns in its vast Shia community and Iran aftermath the dispatch.

The Indian Ocean has now become the world’s most important route for the movement
of cargo ships. More than 80 percent of the world’s seaborne trade in oil passes through the Indian
Ocean’s choke points viz; the straits of Hormuz, Malacca, and Bab el Mandeb originating from
the Persian Gulf. In addition to energy, vast quantities of manufactured goods from Eastern China,
South Korea, Japan, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and other ASEAN countries
are finding their way to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe through the Indian Ocean. Hence the
smooth flow of goods on the international sea lanes is very much in the collective interest of the
regional and extra-regional nations.
Socio-political unrest in parts of India and Pakistan including Kashmir issue, volatile situation
in parts of Pakistan in the face of the ongoing fight against the terrorists in FATA and criminality
in Karachi have to be pragmatically addressed for lasting peace in the region.
As regards Pakistan more than 95 percent of its trade is seaborne and a major part of its
Petroleum imports comes from the Gulf. The continuous flow of energy resources through the
Strait of Hormuz is essential for the sustenance of its economy and wellbeing. It is, therefore, in
Pakistan’s interest to have unimpeded Sea lane environment in the Arabian Sea. Cognizant of its
international obligations and interests the Pakistan Navy joined the US-led multi-national
Coalition Task Force-150, under the ambit of Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan. The mission of
this task force is to work with regional navies to counter extremism, terrorism and illegal activities
at sea.
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Pakistan Navy has made its presence felt in the recent times in large parts of the western
Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea including Horn of Africa, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. The
enduring participation in multinational coalition operations aside, the institution of International
Maritime Conferences fastened to Amman series of exercises every two years has enhanced the
Pakistani image as well as that of the Pakistan Navy in the region and beyond.
Now; for the first time Pakistan’s sensitivities about Afghanistan have been better understood
by the USA. It appears that the USA has reconciled with the possibility that it could be replaced
in Afghanistan by China with the help of Pakistan. China already has a considerable economic
presence in Afghanistan. It will now concentrate on energy-rich Iran that has the capacity to
emerge much stronger subject to its enduring nuclear deal with the USA. China has also just agreed
to build nuclear power plants for Iran.

Russia, with its growing understanding with China, is also emerging as an important regional
player. In the new scenario, Russia appears to sell advanced weaponry to Iran. President Ashraf
Ghani has completed the first trip of the capitals which matter in the future political and economic
settlement of Afghanistan. During his visit to India he expressed the desire to “make Afghanistan
a graveyard of terror” and for this looked up for help from India, Pakistan and other neighbors. On
the other hand Indian analysts feel that New Delhi may be losing influence in Afghanistan because
of Afghanistan’s new government’s efforts to forge closer ties with Pakistan and China; as its deep
relations with India during the past one and a half decade failed to bring any significant stability
in the country particularly with reference to Taliban movement. Ashraf Ghani visit to China, Saudi
Arabia, Pakistan (twice) and the US hint at Afghanistan’s changing priorities in the emerging
strategic scenario.

India always wanted existing Afghan-Pakistan Trade and Transit agreement to expand to
include India to allow its goods to flow to Afghanistan through Pakistan and back to India. But
during the PM Modi’s anti-Pakistan stance this Afghanistan’s direct surface link to India couldn’t
turn Afghanistan into a hub that could have connected Central Asia to South Asia and even beyond.
Afghanistan also appears to be poised to benefit enormously by joining CPEC. President Ghani
said: “Our vision today is to be guided by that potential where the energy of Central Asia will flow
to South Asia where pipelines, fiber optics, railways, and connectivity, air, ground, and virtual will
connect us.” And this is what CPEC offers. Afghanistan at present feels that it must engage
Pakistan and obtain its cooperation. It has also started sending officer cadets for training to
Pakistani military academy to offset its earlier pattern to get its officers trained exclusively in India.

It appears that Afghanistan is now convinced that India’s capacity to help is limited and
Pakistani and China could be more productive partners. On the other hand, the CPEC project
indicates far-reaching Chinese plans to bring Afghanistan also into its economic integration.
However, despite this setback, India is not likely to reconcile with its relatively lower profile in
Afghanistan. It may like to provoke ethnic minorities of Uzbeks and Tajiks, and Shia sect with the
support of Iran to create fissures between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah.
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In this changing scenario, Pakistan has to be quite cautious about cultivating relations with
Afghanistan, particularly with reference to tackling cross border terrorism and militancy. Though
any big turnaround does is not in sight yet Pakistan must remain engaged in eradicating terrorism
from its soil so as to prepare itself to play its due role in the region. India has tried its best to divert
the attention of the Pakistani forces from Zarb-e azb by opening fire on civilians along the working
boundary but Pakistan’s determination to deal with the terrorism with an iron hand at all costs
deserves all appreciations.

Countering terrorism was no doubt a daunting and challenging task for Pakistan but the better
coordination between the military and the civil administration has made it a success.
Unfortunately, the US and international community engaged in Afghanistan always blamed
Pakistan for all the troubles in Afghanistan but they have now admitted Pakistan’s relevance and
centrality in any future resolution of the issue. The unity government, led by President Ashraf
Ghani unlike his predecessor considers Pakistan a partner rather than a spoiler when it comes to
bilateral relations. However, there is also a need to factor in the domestic constraints and
stakeholders on both sides, as well as the concerns and intent of regional and extra‐regional actors
involved in Afghanistan, mainly US and India. Ashraf Ghani, while addressing a joint press
conference at the end of his two‐day visit to Pakistan, said: “We must overcome the past…we will
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not permit the past to destroy the future.” In this scenario, Pakistan must try to forge further better
relations with Afghanistan.

Pakistan as a ‘stabilizing factor’ in the region:

While acknowledging the role of Pakistan in regional peace the US has termed the country a
“stabilizing factor” in the region particularly with reference to Pakistan’s multi-faceted support
which it provided to the International community in the war on terror, UN peacekeeping missions,
and shipment of US/NATO equipment through its soil.
Pakistan’s operation Zarb-e-Azb has been very successful and has set a stage for the eventual
elimination of militancy from the country and the adjoining areas. The point to mention is that
despite Pakistan’s meager financial resources its armed forces are carrying out the operation with
full zest. Pakistan’s this action is going a long way in creating peace and stability in the region
including Afghanistan necessitating requisite support from Afghanistan.
The Indian Ocean region is all set to play a crucial role in the 21st century and is likely to
remain a hotbed of traditional and non-traditional threats as well as other security challenges.
Pakistan enjoys a unique position in the region. In line with national policies, the Pakistan Navy
has an important role to play in ensuring regional maritime security and stability.
The way ahead to address various challenges to regional maritime security is the formulation
of a Collaborative Maritime Security Apparatus. However, a pre-requisite to making any
pragmatic headway in this regard will be to resolve contentious issues and disagreements between
the regional states through dialogue and the political process. Such an approach could facilitate
confidence building and trust between the regional countries, leading to the furtherance of
cooperation in combating maritime crime and stability of the ocean for the collective benefit of the
states concerned. Further, there is an increasing awareness about Pakistan’s ability to play a
meaningful role in stabilizing Afghanistan and the region at large. The dialogue between the
Taliban, USA and Afghan Government can play a significant role in establishing peace in
Afghanistan and the region.
The world has become increasingly interconnected and interdependent with respect to trade,
investment, technology transfer and acquisition of political and strategic leverages. Hence conflict,
clash, and unrest in one region, as it happened between the two nuclear powers of Pakistan and
India in February-March 2019, can greatly affect other parts of the world resulting into disruption
of international supply chains. Resolution of conflicts, therefore, have become more important and
need to take immediate steps have enormously increased to avert an escalation of the conflict.
Hence cooperation rather than confrontation appears to be the more realistic approach in this
scenario. Bilateral and multilateral agreements, therefore, have to be concluded in such a way that
all parties gain justly and fairly to give the long lasting effect to the agreements, otherwise, it would
be a futile exercise if any party subsequently fails to meet its commitments.
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Located in the strategic and geopolitical corridor of the world's major maritime oil supply
lines very near to the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf it is contiguous to China
in proximity to Central Asia in the north. The present move of development of China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor could be viewed in the background of the aforementioned. Pakistan is an
influential and founding member of the OIC.
It played the role of Non- NATO ally of the USA in its war against terrorism after 9/11 in
2001. Maintaining cultural, political, social, and economic relations with the Muslim world in
general and Arab world, in particular, has given it significant leverage in world politics. Pakistan
was the first country to have established diplomatic relations with China and relations continues
to be warm since China's war with India in 1962. In the 1970s Pakistan greatly helped China in
reaching out to the world's major countries and facilitated first US President Nixon’s state visit to
China.
Despite the change of governments in Pakistan, China policy in Pakistan remained all time
cordial. China is Pakistan's largest trading partner with substantial Chinese investment in
Pakistan's infrastructural expansion including the Pakistani deep-water port at Gwadar.
Pakistan maintains very close cultural, political and economic relations with Turkey, Saudi
Arabia, and UAE. However, the Kashmir issue remains the major point of a rift with India. It has
fought three wars with India up till now. Pakistan was the closest ally of the US in its war against
the Soviets in Afghanistan during 1979-89. However, relations with Russia have greatly improved
since 1999 and cooperation with various sectors have increased between Russia and Pakistan.
Pakistan’s relations with the US did not remain cordial throughout. It was a close ally of the
United States during the cold war but relations soured in the 1990s when the U.S. imposed
sanctions on Pakistan for detonating the atomic device in 1998. However, relations improved
during US-led ousting of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and its fight against terrorism 2001
onward amidst US concerns about Pakistan’s doing less against Afghan Taliban. Even at present
US relations with India are far advanced than Pakistan.
Joint military exercises are occasionally carried out with the militaries of China, the US, and
Turkey. Pakistan has actively participated in UN peacekeeping missions. According to UN reports,
Pakistan is the largest troop contributors to UN peacekeeping missions. It played a major role in
rescuing trapped American soldiers from Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993.
Pakistan at occasions deployed its military in some Arab countries in the past and also
provides training to their armed force. Pakistani air force pilots voluntarily served in Arab nations
against Israel in six days war 1967 and during 1973, in which they shot down ten Israeli planes.
During 1979 on the request of Saudi Arabia Pakistani forces rushed to assist Saudi forces to lead
operation in Mecca against the insurgents. Since 2004, the Pakistani military is engaged in
Waziristan to fight against the terrorists.
As regards the sacrifices, rendered by the people of Pakistan and Armed Forces, during the
Global War on Terror, the idea of regional stability and peace cannot be better understood other
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than Pakistan which has faced huge losses in political, social, economic and military terms. In this
regard, many personnel of its Armed Forces and intelligence agencies, especially those of the ISI
were martyred; while the country has born the brunt of unimaginable collateral damage, instability,
perennial acts of subversion, sectarian violence and so on. In the last 13 years, Pakistan’s losses,
during the war against terrorism have amounted to over 100 billion dollars.

In the last few years, while ignoring the responsibilities of the US, ISAF and Afghan regime,
US-led NATO powers have continuously been insisting upon Pakistan to ‘do more’ against the
militancy in the tribal areas in order to stop cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan. In this regard,
the then US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and some high officials accused Pak Army and ISI of
close contact with the Haqqani network.

During her visit to India, the then US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton remarked that
Pakistan must do more to tackle terror groups operating from its territory being used for attacks
that destabilized Afghanistan or India. And when she visited Pakistan, she recognized by saying,
“Pakistan has a critical role to play in supporting Afghan reconciliation and ending the conflict.”
The US Secretary of State explained, “Her country is also committed to the economic development
of Pakistan”, and “supports regional economic integration between Pakistan and all its neighbors.”
Besides, US top officials have repeatedly stated that Pakistan has a key to the stability and peace
in Afghanistan, and they need Islamabad’s help in this respect.

It is mentionable that since April 2011, some 200 to 400 heavily-armed insurgents from
Afghanistan’s side entered Pakistan’s region from time to time, targeting the security check posts
and other infrastructure. In this connection, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership have lodged a
strong protest with their counterparts in Afghanistan and NATO, saying that their forces were
doing nothing to check the activities of the insurgents, based in the Afghan provinces of Kunar
and Nuristan. The Afghan government also refused to hand over Maulvi Fazlullah, leader of
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militants who have been conducting subversive acts
in Pakistan.

The way the Afghan militants are carrying out cross-border attacks into Pakistan is sufficient
to prove that secret agencies like Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad which have well-established
their collective network in Afghanistan are fully on the back of these incursions to destabilize
Pakistan.

The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is an inter-governmental organization

involving seven Asian and three Eurasian nations. It provides a platform to discuss ways to
improve development and promote trade, and investment opportunities. ECO's secretariat and
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cultural department are located in Tehran, its economic bureau is in Turkey and its scientific bureau
is situated in Pakistan. Pakistan’s potential in telecommunication, agriculture, food, industry, trade,
and many other sectors made it significant as it can play its role for the betterment of rest of the
member nations by providing them with technical assistance.
The contemporary era is characterized by interdependence and the need to work collectively
for peace and stability. The Indian Ocean region is all set to play a crucial role in the 21st century
and is likely to remain a hotbed of traditional and non-traditional threats as well as other security
challenges. Pakistan enjoys a unique position in the region. In line with national policies, the
Pakistan Navy has an important role to play in ensuring regional maritime security and stability.
The way ahead to address various challenges to regional maritime security is the formulation of a
Collaborative Maritime Security Apparatus. However, a pre-requisite to making any pragmatic
headway in this regard will be to resolve contentious issues and disagreements between the
regional states through dialogue and the political process. Such an approach could facilitate
confidence building and trust between the regional countries, leading to the furtherance of
cooperation in combating maritime crime and stability of the ocean for the collective benefit of the
states concerned. Further, there is an increasing awareness about Pakistan’s ability to play a
meaningful role in stabilizing Afghanistan and the region at large. Dialogue process between the
Taliban and Afghan Government in Pakistan could be fruitful in the times to come.
…………………………………………..