This is apropos two back-to-back letters titled ‘Pakistan in the SCO: silent or strategic?’ by this writer carried by the newspaper in recent days. Pakistan lacks direct railroad connections with other SCO member countries, including the CAC. In contrast, China, Russia, and the CAC are connected via major rail corridors that facilitate trade and transportation.
These countries are also connected through a network of highways, road links, and regional infrastructure projects. Pakistan, however, has not yet integrated into this network beyond its bilateral connection with China through the KKH. While Pakistan has air links with China, it lacks extensive air transportation routes with Central Asian SCO members.
Air transport between Pakistan and other SCO states is relatively underdeveloped compared to the routes between China, Central Asia, and Russia. Pakistan’s limited transport links with other SCO members restrict its ability to fully benefit from the economic and trade opportunities within the organization.
CAC, Russia, and China can trade and cooperate more seamlessly because of their physical connectivity, while Pakistan’s relative isolation limits its engagement beyond its bilateral relationship with China.
This lack of connection to Central Asian markets and other SCO member states means Pakistan cannot easily participate in the expanding trade routes that China and Central Asia are developing. This isolation reduces Pakistan’s potential role as a transit country for SCO trade and restricts its access to CAC markets.
Pakistan’s limited integration into the SCO system compared to Central Asian states, Belarus, Russia, and others can be attributed to geopolitical tensions, infrastructural and economic limitations, security concerns, and internal political challenges. While Pakistan plays a vital role in China’s bilateral strategy, particularly through CPEC, its integration within the broader SCO framework remains limited due to these complex factors.
China is making concerted efforts across all dimensions to create enabling conditions for Pakistan through the bilateral platform of CPEC, providing a gateway to fully capitalize on the SCO’s opportunities. However, our inability to rise to the occasion stems from a national attitude marked by lethargy, lack of seriousness, and a failure to harness our inherent potential.
It is crucial that we move beyond the petty issues that drain the energy of our already strained state structure. Now is the time to proactively enhance our regional connectivity, diversify our economic ties, deepen security cooperation, and take on a more active leadership role within the SCO.
By leveraging our strategic position and engaging more deeply with other SCO members, Pakistan can maximize its benefits from the organization and play a stronger role in shaping regional affairs. The path forward requires decisive action, focused on long-term national interests, to unlock the full potential of our participation in the SCO.
Qamar Bashir
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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