Analytical view on the role of Turkmenistan and Central Asia in the development of Pakistan
Intensification of interaction with Turkmenistan and other countries of Central Asia should be firmly incorporated into the vision of the future development of Pakistan on multiple fronts – such point of view was sounded by Sherbaz Khetran, research fellow at the Institute for Strategic Studies, Islamabad, in his brief "Pakistan-Turkmenistan: Moving ahead with bilateral relations", which reviews recent Turkmen- Pakistani political consultations The author of the publication points to the urgent need to intensify bilateral contacts at parliamentary, governmental and non-governmental levels through exchanges of relevant delegations in order to broaden the people-to-people contacts. The historical ties and geographical proximity along with the strategic and economic potential of Central Asia for Pakistan are essential to making foreign policy decisions, the expert believes. In this context, the TAPI gas pipeline project, aimed at diversifying energy outlets with the region, is given a key importance. In addition, the report stresses, TAPI will mitigate tensions in Pakistani-Indian relations, as the common gas main, connecting both countries, will put them in economic interdependence, thus opening wide avenues for further cooperation. In general, considering the economic and political conditions that Pakistan now faces, Central Asia is the immediate and suitable potential partner, the researcher concluded. The Islamabad Institute for Strategic Studies, established in 1973 as an autonomous non-profit organization, is an intellectual platform dealing with in-depth analysis of regional and global processes in the fields of peace, security, social and economic development.
