Kashmir – The link between Southern and Central Asia
iasparliament
February 04, 2017
Why in news?
On January 2017, the chief minister of J&K had proposed the opening of a new trade route that would negate regional conflict.
What are the advantages?
With Kashmir as its central point, the route would connect diverse communities who are suffering under India-Pakistan conflicts.
Also the route will supposedly deliver “regional cooperation, energy transformation, trade and transit.”
It would connect the two Kashmirs divided between Pakistan and India (Suchetgarh-Sialkot, Kargil-Skardu, Bandipora-Gurez-Gilgit and Nowshera-Mirpur) with roads available for free movement of people and goods.
Such an arrangement will also supplement the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The CM’s idea was derived from the history of old routes people took to supply goods across civilisations.Then the Partition cut off trade routes to Central Asia as it blocked road connections between India and Pakistan carrying goods westwards.
Kashmir was the most affected by this.
What is the disadvantage?
The roads that once linked India with Central Asia are now corridors of conflict.
Pakistan is fighting a domestic war in the Chaman and Khyber Pass posts. Trade that passes through is mostly heroin from Afghanistan.
Pakistan sees India’s hand in its trouble with Afghanistan. India sees threats from the trade corridor China is building in Pakistan.
India exited the Iranian gas pipeline because it couldn’t trust Pakistan as the transit state.
Thus trade is used a tool of war instead of spreading peace. Therefore this plan could backfire.
