Connecting Capacities towards Progression

“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.” - Tony Robbins

As we all know, the Asia- Pacific is one of the most strategically queried areas on the globe. The superpower battle comes with a multitude of challenges and openings for middle powers like Pakistan. With the rise of China and the rejuvenescence of Russia the world has moved into a new period of great power competition. China is the primary rival to the US supremacy and in Asia the two superpowers are contenders for ascendance in the same geographical space. On one hand, I believe United States is fighting to maintain its decades-old supremacy in the region. The strategic competition between the two titans and the attempts to revitalize old alliances as well as forming new balancing coalitions has placed the middle powers of the Asia- Pacific in a tight spot to choose between either of the two superpowers.

Pakistan, since its inception, has been sharing pivotal middle power in the Asia- Pacific, we are grateful to its vibrant geostrategic position. Pakistan’s geostrategic significance has increased manifold, that has not only opened scores of new avenues for the country but has also added to the typical powers’ dilemma as to which side of the equation it may features to guard its interests. Likewise, Pakistan’s limited participation in global force chains does offer it some protection from the profitable impacts of the war in Ukraine. Nonetheless, in the short term, the Russian irruption of Ukraine is setting Pakistan under increased profitable pressure. There are goods exported by Ukraine and Russia while inauspiciously Pakistan happens to be an importer of several elementary products. 

Though presently the impact of wheat deficit and price hike isn’t being felt, it’s likely to make its impact manifested in the coming many – a situation that the embattled coalition government in Pakistan would find extremely delicate to manage with. The international arena is a callous sphere. As Pakistan is carrying limited space – constrained by geographic and geo-economic factors – and are pressured to choose between the competing great powers, it has made the choice, the only role that is expected to play is passive. 

I firmly believe that this is exactly the direction where Pakistan is moving as the country that integrates more deeply into the Chinese-led geo-economic and geopolitical order. It is an eye-opener that in international relations; sovereignty and agency are the first casualties once you become a member of a geopolitical bloc.