Sabena Siddiqi

As Prime Minister Imran Khan completes his visit to Saudi Arabia, it is seen as the initiation of a new foreign policy to further Pakistan’s core national interests. Maintaining close strategic, military and economic ties since decades, Saudi Arabia was the first choice of the young government for upgrading ties to a new dimension. Additionally, it seems that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Khan will be able to synchronize Pak-Saudi ties on a personal level as they share similar interests. Somewhat like Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s holistic package for economic, cultural and societal reforms,  Vision 2030 , Imran Khan also has plans for social reform and has taken the first steps towards austerity. Trying to diversify Pakistan’s economy with tourism and attract more foreign investment, Khan wants to solve the housing problem and provide employment opportunities for the youth. Likewise, appreciating the effective anti-corruption dri...

Offering the shortest and most convenient trade route to Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the deep- sea port of Gwadar in Pakistan also links up China’s large, land-locked province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea. Taking center-stage ever since China’s mega-project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) kicked off, Gwadar port has made the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) the “flagship corridor” out of all the six corridors of the BRI. Directly accessible sans any diversions via the Straits of Hormuz, this port is time-saving for consignments from the Middle East and Africa to China as the distance is hardly 3,400 miles. Notwithstanding all these advantages, unfortunately Gwadar city has remained somewhat under-developed in the first phase of projects under the CPEC. But things are bound to change fast as the new government under Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to  “broaden the CPEC base”  and allow more third-party investment. Fast-track bas...

The Time is Right to Revive SAARC BIMSTEC can’t carry the weight of regional cooperation, but SAARC can. By  Sabena Siddiqi September 18, 2018               As the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) flounders, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) remains the only viable option for South Asian integration. Holding its 4th summit since it was created in 1997, the BIMSTEC forum, which is comprised of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, was resuscitated recently as a better option than SAARC for regional engagement. However, it has been noted that though both forums can complement each other, there is no possibility of BIMSTEC replacing SAARC. Maintaining a huge difference in stature and size, SAARC has had 18 summits in the 32 years of its existence. and the forum has an extensive network of mechanisms, regional centers a...

As the new Pakistan government begins its tenure, there has been some talk and also some irresponsible reports in Western media of a change in attitude towards the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and possible re-negotiation of the terms and conditions. However, it now transpires that both countries remain on the same page in regard to the Belt and Road Initiative mega-project and the CPEC. In the last few days, top-level consultations have resulted in even better synergy between the two countries, dispelling any doubts about continuity in government policies.  Remaining as top priority no matter which political party comes to power, the CPEC is a bilateral contract respected by all successive governments. In Islamabad on a three-day visit last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Prime Minister Imran Khan, who expressed his absolute commitment to promoting China-Pakistan ties just as he did in his very first post-election victory speech.  Stating tha...

Resetting ties with the US after a rocky year, Pakistan has faced erratic times due to the changed geopolitical realities of this region. It all began in early 2015, when Washington and New Delhi deepened their defense ties and signed a nuclear deal during a visit by Obama. Shortly afterward in the same year, Sino-Pakistan bilateral ties were upgraded and the joint venture called the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPEC) was announced by President Xi while on a visit to Pakistan. Later on in August 2016, US-India bilateral ties were further elevated to a strategic alliance and a nuclear pact and logistics deal was signed. Starting from the point that the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) was signed, a further series of regional re-alignments ensued with Pakistan becoming part of a China-Russia equation. ALSO READ:  China’s geo-economic interests and Middle East energy industry Switching allies, trade pacts were finalized an...