Importance of peaceful Afghanistan for the Economy of Pakistan

(Mohsin Shah, )

We should accept that China is an emerging economy in the worldundoubtedly. According to the world economist, by 2050 China and India we will be the largest economies of the world. How did they got that much strength? How did these two economies impressed the world? Answer to these Question is that they have explored their markets to the every possible corner of the world. There is a chines proverb which always comes into my mind whenever I am thinking about their emerging Market in the world, and there Products which are before us even the laptop of author is chines made, “If you want to capture the world market then build the roads” So this is the reason we can see how chines are interested in (CPEC) China Pakistan Economic corridor, It came into my knowledge that china’s government is much more interested in the peace process of Afghanistan even they are interested to invest their own money in Afghan peace process, Because they wanted to explore their market to Afghanistan as well as to the central Asian countries through CPEC. This is the reason she (china) is becoming the largest economy of the world. On the other side we can see India she ismore interested in Afghanistan even than China. Each year India Is investing a huge amount of money in Afghanistan to captured the Afghan Market even they don’t have direct Border with the Afghanistan. Recently India has signed a contract with Iran to get their Chabahar port to get access to the Afghan market. From Iran to the historical city of Afghanistan named Hiraat Indian government have constructed a railway line, From India to the Iranian sea port, the means of transportation will be shipment After that they will load those goods on train to the Afghan market.

Pakistan has the largest bordering Aria with Afghanistan it’s 2250 km, Afghanistan is a land locked country, she do not have direct access to the sea that’s why Afghan traders are using our Karachi port for their import and export of Goods. We do have large scale economic activities with the Afghan nation, Afghanistan is one of a big exporter of Pakistani products. The importance of Afghan territory is before us, the famous poet of East and the national poet of Pakistan Allam Mohammad Iqbalconsider the territory of Afghanistan as the heart of Asia. Now a days we can see that how the major power of the world are interested in Aghanistan, America, Russia, China, India and Iran because Afghanistan has direct access to the central Asian countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan are two interrelated countries, these both countries are following the same religion Islam, we should accept that violence in one country do have direct negative impact on the peace of other country this is what we have learnt from the previous 40 years, now it’s a good opportunity for Pakistan to joint hand with the Afghan people to support their peace process in talk with the Taliban. This is in our self interest as I mentioned above the examples of India and China there are several more examples from the developed countries.

Large bordering Area:
Pakistan’s has longest bordering area with Afghanistan which is 2250 km, it means the economy of Afghanistan can directly affect our economy, if the Afghan markets are at boom it will have a positive impact on our economy. Because depression in a small economy can affect the economy of the whole world so what will be the impact of neighboring country this point should must be noted.

A Big exporter of Pakistani products:
Afghanistan is a big exporter of Pakistan products like cement, wheat, iron and so many other industrial products exports of these contribute a lot to GDP gross domestic product of Pakistan. Another chines proverb came into my mind which is that “ If you don’t have a good smile you are not a good marketer” so good smile over here is good relations if these both countries construct good relations then economies of both nations will climb up. Still I remember the golden words of Afghanistan president Dr. Ashraf Ghani on his first official visit to Pakistan. He says that “we should forget our past for the good future” his signal was toward the previous diplomatic ups and down among these two countries.

Less Transportation Cost:
We do have two direct Gate ways to the Afghan market one is Chaman boarder in Baluchistan and the other one is Torkham boarder in Khyber Pukhtonkhwa. The import and export activities of these two countries are being done through road there is no extra expenditure on loading and unloading on sea ports, so its suitable for us to strengthen our trade ties with Afghanistan to lesser the cost of transportation which is most important thing for GDP of every nation.

(TAPI) Gas pipeline:
(TAPI) Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan and India these all are the stakeholder of this pipeline which will pass through Afghanistan from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India. This pipeline is very much important for Pakistan to face the energy crises.the passage of this pipeline is only possible in a peaceful Afghanistan that’s why we should support the peace process of Afghanistan.

China Pakistan Economic Corridor:
China Pakistan Economic corridor is a burning issue now a days. One thing I should clear you is that Chines people are not mentally sick to invest their huge capital of 46 billion dollar only to explore their market to Pakistan, but they are interested to get access to the central Asian countries which is just possible through Afghanistan. If we want to make the CPEC project successful we have to support the peace process in Afghanistan otherwise it will remain incomplete, If not then comparatively it will be less beneficial.

Increase in Pakistani remittances:
Remittances(payments of the immigrants to family members from abroad) remittances is that share of GDP which our labor force is earning from abroad. According to Dr. Ashraf Ghani “eighty thousand labors from Pakistan are working in Afghanistan” which contributes a big share to our overall remittances. Think for a while if Afghanistan became more stable it will increase our remittances which will increase the GDP
There are so many other reasons which do have direct impact on the GDP of Pakistan like the construction of Dams in konur province of Afghanistan from which Pakistan will get electricity which will be very helpful in eradicating energy crises in Pakistan. Afghan products like dry fruits, Afghan carpets these products are beneficial for us because we can resale it on high price to the European countries because we have sea port. Other reason is that Kabul is like a trade center for the Asian countries, it does have access to Iran, central Asian countries, China, Pakistan and now India as well, so these all shows that Kabul is the trade center for Asian countries
N key role, Pakistani diplomat are required to avail this chance positively, if Pakistan play this role positively so it will be the goodness of Pakistani diplomat with their upcoming generation, and I am sure Pakistan will become economically a very strong country, And it’s time for Pakistan to support the peace process of Afghanistan otherwise we will lose this important chance.


 

Mohsin Shah
About the Author: Mohsin Shah Read More Articles by Mohsin Shah: 3 Articles with 2935 views From Balochistan district Loralai..student of economics.. View More