Pakistan, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Central Asia: Prospects for Peace and Stability

Abstract

To ensure sustainable peace and security entailing people centric economic growth and prosperity, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is well positioned to be an ‘inter-regional integration’ forum between the Central and South Asian regions. This research study focuses on the broader dynamics of the Pakistan – SCO – Central Asian equation to highlight the opportunities and challenges for fostering mutually beneficial trade, education, energy, commerce along with the vital security needs. In doing so, Pakistan’s critical role to be a bridge of inter-regional human security construct is deliberated. The roadblocks ranging from distrust, governance and economic gaps between and within the Central and South Asian regions are also highlighted. In nutshell, Pakistan’s envisions and pursues its policies vis-a-vis SCO and Central Asia from the enlarged prism of security and aims to be a crucial node for instilling peace and stability on the proactive basis.