EVALUATING PAKISTAN-CENTRAL ASIA RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF VISION CENTRAL ASIA POLICY 2021

1. Foster Diplomatic Engagement with Afghanistan

While Vision Central Asia policy offers a strategic foundation, relations with Afghanistan are the building blocks for its materialisation. Pakistan needs to launch a dedicated diplomatic initiative to engage the Taliban government in order to resolve the increasing issues of cross-border terrorism. Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) such as joint counter terrorism operations, joint border management, and revenue-sharing from energy projects such as CASA-1000, TAP-500 must be designed and established for regional stability and security.

 

2. Modernise the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) and the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA)

Pakistan and Afghanistan need to accelerate negotiations on the revival of APTTA as it enhances Afghanistan’s position as a transit country in regional trade. The newly negotiated APTTA must include protocols for digital customs management to reduce obstacles in trade. APTTA can also integrate the TIR Convention for smoother cross-border trade operations and goods facilitation. Moreover, while the security situation on the Afghanistan front remains problematic, Pakistan needs to ensure that trade with CARs continues through the QTTA route. For that, it is significant to integrate the TIR Convention with QTTA. Pakistan needs to engage China and CARs to amend the QTTA and jointly adopt the TIR protocols on a priority basis.

 

3. Negotiate Preferential Trade Agreements

Vision Central Asia policy calls for the expansion of trade and investment links. In order to further enhance trade with CARs, Pakistan must propose signing bilateral and multilateral preferential trade agreements for the reduction of tariffs and the removal of non-tariff barriers.

 

4. Fast-track Energy Cooperation Agreements

Energy projects like CASA-1000 and TAPI are a win-win for all the stakeholders so they need to come together to formulate a joint task force to ensure security and accelerate the construction of respective projects. Moreover, as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are not part of the current energy agreements, Pakistan can engage them for hydropower projects and solar energy agreements to strengthen regional energy cooperation under the Vision Central Asia policy.

 

5. Adopt a Balanced Regional Approach

In order to navigate regional power politics and maximise its interests, Pakistan should expand its Vision Central Asia policy to incorporate a balanced regional approach. Pakistan must maintain strategic neutrality between great powers like the US, Russia and China and adopt diplomatic hedging for positive relations with Turkiye and Iran. As far as India is concerned, Pakistan must closely observe its actions in the Central Asian region and focus on offering Gwadar port access, which is naturally a shorter and more feasible route for CARs to access the Indian Ocean.