Tazeen Akhtar
Camera : Raja Ghulam Farid
Central Asia and South Asia CASA Connectivity is the dream of more than 1.5 Billion people of both regions but local disputes and multilateral proxies are not letting this dream come true. Agreement is present among all stakeholders but an efficient, perfect, consistent and safe connectivity remains the hardest task due to known and unknown reasons including Pakistan Hindustan disputes and uncertain circumstances in Afghanistan.
The Institute of Regional Studies Islamabad, timely and rightly touched the topic and hosted a dialogue on the issue on 06 Feb ” Central Asia- Pakistan-Azerbaijan Ambassadorial Dialogue of 2025 on Regional Connectivity” that was well attended by all Ambassadors except Kyrgyz representation.
H.E. Mr. Avazbek Atakhanov, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan could not attend the dialogue due to unforeseen and sudden engagement. No one from Afghanistan mission was invited despite the basic hurdle in Central Asia Pakistan (CAPA) connectivity is there mainly.
Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of IRS conducted the dialogue while renown and well informed with vast experience of working on Central Asia, Mushahid Hussain Syed was in the chair. Dean of Diplomatic Corp, Ambassador Turkmenistan, H.E Atadjan Movlamov, (Alphbetically) Ambassador Azerbaijan, H.E Khazar Farhadov, Ambassador Kazakhstan, H.E Yerzhan Kistafin, Ambassador Tajikistan, H.E Sharifzode Yousuf Toirali, Ambassador Uzbekistan, H.E Alisher Takhtaev participated as guest speakers.
Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, in his welcome note, shared that the dialogue would encompass joint conferences, seminars, and workshops featuring regular interactions between ambassadors, think tanks, universities, policy makers and intellectuals in Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Central Asian states.
The dialogue is to build a consensus on the key pillars of Pakistan’s ‘Vision Central Asia’ which include: Enhancing Political and Diplomatic Ties. Exploring Pathways for Increasing Trade and Investment. Promoting Energy Cooperation and Regional Connectivity. Building on People to People Exchanges and Cultural Diplomacy and Strengthening Climate Resilience. IRS will set up the Central Asian Studies Center in this regard.
Chief Guest and keynote speaker, Mushahid Hussain Syed, being one of the pioneers of establishing contacts and cooperation with Central Asia soon after their independence in early 90s, shared his insight and enlightened the participants on the potential Central Asia carries and prospects for Pakistan there.
He appreciated IRS for hosting the dialogue, expressed his best wishes and offered his full support for the task ahead.
Dean and Ambassador Turkmenistan H.E Atadjan Movlamov, in his address, shed light on infrastructure connectivity projects of his country. He shared that The opening of Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran, the North-South railway corridor is an important section in the formation of global market of transport services.
The construction of major infrastructure projects like TAPI – Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India gas pipeline, as well as TAP – power transmission line and fiber-optic line along Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan route and roads and railway connections from Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries to Pakistan with the participation of regional states opens up great prospects for cooperation, attracting major foreign investments, solving many important social problems.
He said, ” Leaders of our countries are interested in further strengthening ties in the region. I would like to recall the philosophy of new international relations “dialogue is a guarantee of peace”, declared by the National Leader, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty H.E. Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.”
Ambassador Azerbaijan , Khazar Farhadov mentioned direct flights between Baku and Lahore, Karachi as direct connectivity. He shared that number of Pakistanis visiting Azerbaijan is increasing. Azerbaijan universities are introducing Urdu as a language in Baku.
In 2024, Azerbaijan saw a remarkable 47% increase in the number of Pakistani visitors, with 80,924 Pakistani citizens traveling to Azerbaijan, reflecting the growing appeal of the destination.
President Ilham Aliyev visited Pakistan a couple of months ago while Prime Minister is visiting Azerbaijan in coming days. Both countries are working on investment of $2Billion in Pakistan.
Ambassador Kazakhstan, H.E Yerzhan Kistafin mentioned Education and IT, Digitization as key sectors to build close partnership as well as connectivity. He said both countries have 5 working groups that are enhancing cooperation in trade, agriculture, IT, energy and in other sectors. He recommended E-Commerce for effective and efficient connections between the entrepreneurs on both sides.
About Language learning, H.E Kistafin shared that Urdu sections have been established in our Universities while the experts are preparing Urdu-Kazakh dictionary as well.
Mr. Kistafin emphasized the strong interest in expanding and diversifying regional cooperation. Referring to the formula of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, “A Successful Central Asia – A Successful Kazakhstan,” he highlighted its direct relevance to the development of cooperation with South Asia, including Pakistan.
Ambassador of Tajikistan H.E Sharifzoda Yusuf Toirali won the hearts of the participants for expressing his heartfelt feelings and that in fluent Urdu language. He said, ” We (All Central Asian and Pakistani people) are from the same family. We resemble one another, we speak languages that have thousands of words in common and I feel in Pakistan as the Fish feels in Water.”
Ambassador suggested rightly that promote love for everyone in Central Asia and South Asia and the developmental process will start automatically when we welcome one another with affection.
He admired E-Visa system of Azerbaijan and said Tajikistan is also starting this system soon. He emphasized upon all including Pakistan to do the same. He said, we speak same words and languages that have been derived from one language (Persian but he did not mention.)
Mr. Toirali recommended building education cooperation and said, the students will become the ambassadors of respective countries on their return to homeland. He himself studied in Karachi and completed his education in Pakistan.
He mentioned his experiences of working in Korea and Japan. Ambassador stated that we have Central Asia Korea , Central Asia Japan formats but do not have such format with a country (Pakistan) that is the closest to us.
His sincere expressions compelled the audience to give him a big applause two times during his address.
Ambassador Uzbekistan, H.E Alisher Takhtaev, in his address, mentioned Trilateral Train as the flagship project in connecting Uzbekistan through Afghanistan with Pakistan.
He said , this connection will enhance multilateral cooperation, not only between the three countries but among the regions. Moreover , it will enhance trade as well as tourism and P2P relations.
Mr. Alisher presented the vision of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, emphasizing the strategic importance of developing transport corridors, including the Trans-Afghan Railway, and strengthening economic and cultural ties between Central and South Asia.
Relations between Tashkent and Islamabad have reached the level of strategic partnership – key agreements have been signed, and the Tashkent – Termez – Kabul – Peshawar – Karachi route is actively developing, creating new opportunities for trade and investment.
He delved on Rail Road Air connectivity efforts of his country for transport and logistics efficiency.
He shared the direct flight operations of Uzbekistan Air with Pakistan and mentioned Uzbekistan Tashkent as a transit hub for Pakistani travelers towards CIS, Europe and USA.
Uzbekistan Air is operating flights between Tashkent and Lahore and will expand the operation to Islamabad and Karachi soon.
It was a multinational and multidimensional dialogue involving 8 countries, therefore it is impossible to cover all aspects discussed there , here in one report. One thing can also be seen what we are writing since last two decades , that “STAN” States can meet and form a block.
But it seems that there is some “SATAN” that is not letting them take this step. The countries have to find and fix that SATAN for connectivity,unity, solidarity for their prosperity.
Here it is worth mentioning that such a dialogue can never be complete and fruitful until the connecting country Afghanistan is not properly represented in it.
India is the largest stakeholder of Central and South Asia connectivity. For that India needs transit through Pakistan. For that India is expected to end the proxies in the region via Afghanistan, settle the disputes with Pakistan especially Jammu Kashmir.
Also we need to see how much we ourselves are responsible for a constant barrier between Pakistan and neighborly states of Central Asia? We had Aero Asia, a private airline, that was working in CARs and beyond 2 decades ago. Why this airline was closed ?
We can see the alternatives, in North, from China to Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, in South, from Iran to Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Our National Logistic Cell has successfully traveled on these routes and one through Afghanistan as well but just as pilot projects. We can give it a regular shape. If Afghanistan has decide never to settle down with Pakistan, we have other options to adopt and we should not just sit idle in waiting for corrections in Afghanistan.
Caption : In 2006 when Kyrgyzstan opened Embassy in Islamabad. I met Mr. Nuralaan, the first Ambassador, interviewed him and discussed the prospects of formation of STAN countries block but this still seems to remain a mission impossible.
