Regional Organizations with Pakistan

 SCO
 ECO
 SAARC
 OIC

Organization for Islamic Countries (OIC)

 A forum for all Muslim countries for better coordination, alliances and above all socio-economic
coordination and mitigation of Islamophobia.
 Sectarianism negatively impacts OIC.
 Preference of other alliances like GCC, Turkish bloc etc.
 Saudi-Iran conflict negatively impacts OIC.
 Yemen crisis, Kashmir, Rohingya, Palestine, Syria. Indifference.
 Lack of democratic institutions in member countries so non-representative of their respective
populations.
 Lack of funding or strong institutional mechanism.
 Lip servicing in issues of the Muslim world.
 No force of implementation.
 Recommendations
o Islamic University
o Ijtihad
o Socio-economic development in countries.
o Trade (ASEAN Model)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

 South Asian countries.

 Potential for cultural and economic linkages.
 Geographic contiguity
 Potential to resolve water crisis and religious conflicts.
 Need for resumption of SAPTA, SAFTA, Aman ki Asha.
 Issues of SAARC
o India as a hegemonic state connected to all SAARC states.
o Terrorism, war and insecurity.
o Association and preference of other organizations.
o Political instability and changing alliances.
o Nationalistic Politics
o Lack of funding or strong institutional mechanism.

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)

 ECO comprised of Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan and CARs.

 Geographically contiguous and culturally similar.
 However, lack of funding or strong institutional mechanism
  Initiative for ECO Rail Link however.
 Role of US in dissuading Iranian relations.
 Insecurity and terrorism on the borders.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

 SCO can be an instrumental organization in maintaining peace and security.

 China, Russia, CARs, India and Pakistan.
 Can mediate between the two countries on Kashmir and military confrontation.
 Issue of funding, policy focus and bipartisan confrontation.
 Can help Pak Russia relations and access to CARs.

Recommendations

 Can use these organizations to diminish escalation of hostility.

 Focus on economics rather than politics.
 Track 2 diplomacy to avoid nationalistic politics.
 Create better incentives for economic linkage and multilateral political dispute resolution.
 Improve perception of Pakistan as a safe and investment friendly country.
 Create linkages of tourism, education and cultural interchanges.