Abstract

The Wakhan Corridor, a tiny strip of land in Afghanistan's northeastern area, is vital to Pakistan's geostrategic and economic interests. This research investigates the corridor's numerous dimensions and their consequences for Pakistan's interests. The Wakhan Corridor offers Pakistan a critical geostrategic buffer zone between itself and Central Asia. Because of its location, Pakistan can efficiently handle its border with Afghanistan while still maintaining strategic depth in the region. The corridor acts as a physical barrier, preventing conflicts and instability from spreading into Pakistan's territory. Furthermore, it provides Pakistan with a potential gateway to Central Asian markets, improving connectivity and trade opportunities in the region. The Wakhan Corridor plays a vital role in regional stability and cooperation. Economically, the Wakhan Corridor has enormous potential for Pakistan's energy and trade sectors. The region is thought to be rich in natural resources, such as hydrocarbon deposits, minerals, and precious stones.

Key Words

Geo-strategic, Economic Significant, Wakhan, Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Badakhshan, Silk Road, Pakistan

Introduction

The Wakhan Corridor, situated in the northeastern region of Afghanistan, is a narrow strip of land that holds substantial geo-strategic and economic significance for Pakistan. As a neighbouring country, Pakistan has a vested interest in understanding and leveraging the opportunities presented by this unique geographical feature. This paper aims to explore the importance of the Wakhan Corridor for Pakistan, both in terms of its geo-strategic implications and its economic potential. Geographically, the Wakhan Corridor serves as a buffer zone between Pakistan and Central Asia. It stretches approximately 350 kilometres in length and is surrounded by the Pamir Mountains to the north and the Hindu Kush range to the south. This strategic location allows Pakistan to effectively manage its border with Afghanistan, mitigating security risks and maintaining a measure of control over the movement of people and goods. The corridor acts as a physical barrier, limiting the spillover of conflicts and instability from Afghanistan into Pakistan's territory (Ismail and Fitriani 2022).

One of the most isolated and difficult-to-reach areas of Afghanistan has traditionally been the Wakhan Corridor, especially its eastern end in the Pamir Knot. It is important to keep in mind that the distance between Faizabad, the provincial capital of Badakhshan (already one of the most remote provinces in Afghanistan), and the eastern tip of the Wakhan Corridor/Pamir Knot on the Chinese border is almost as great as the distance between Faizabad and Islamabad in Pakistan, even without the roads. The corridor is 18 km (11 mi) wide and has an entrance close to the Afghan town of Ishkashim.  The width of the western portion of the corridor ranges from 8 to 19 miles (13 to 30 km), widening to 65 km (40 km) in the middle of Wakhan. The corridor divides into two prongs at its easternmost point, which wrap around a salient of Chinese territory to create the 92 km (57 mi) border between the two nations. About 300 kilometres (190 miles) separate Ishkashim from the Wakhjir Pass, the southeastern prong's easternmost point. A nameless wilderness is located 350 kilometres (220 miles) from Ishkashim at the easternmost end of the northeastern prong. The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region's Tash Kurgan Tajik Autonomous County is located on the Chinese side of the border. The Wakhan is separated from Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan by a long, narrow sliver of land known as the Wakhan Corridor, which connects the Wakhan to Tash Kurgan Tajik County, China. The Wakhan River travels through the corridor to Qila-e Panja in the east, where it merges with the Pamir River to form the Panj River, which subsequently serves as the border. This essay emphasises the strategic significance of Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor. The U.K. and the former U.S.S.R. have taken use of this strategic territory by using it as a barrier between them during the Great Game. Due to the region's tribal culture, rough rocky terrain, and bitterly cold environment, the Afghan Government did not place much emphasis on social uplift. The Wakhan Corridor was further sealed up by the Chinese Communist Revolution, which also prevented access to this historic Silk Road. The corridor has become a focal point for both international and regional politics as a result of the New Great Games and the United States' war on terrorism's interests of additional regional actors(Malik 2014).

The Wakhan area contains numerous vital roads. To begin with, a road on the right bank of the Oxus River connects Afghanistan to Wakhan for around 160 km, from Sarhad to Zebak. Heavy vehicles use the upgraded route that was constructed under the Soviet occupation. The distance from Shi Kharif to Shighnan is around 5 kilometres, and the route is a mule track. Third, routes in the Pamir and Murghab connect Sarhad-e-Wakhan to Kyzyl Rabat. The fourth route goes from Sarhade-Wakhan to Tashkurgan and Taghdumbash Pamir, where it enters Sinkiang. This road connects Yarkand and Kashghar in the east with spans the Wakhjir and Mintaka pass with a number of branches and tracks. Fifth, the route connects the Afghan Tongue with the Karakorum Highway, the Pak-China commerce route, and is located in the South East from Sarhad-e-Wakhan to Hunza and Gilgit. Sixth, a route connects Sarhad-e-Wakhan to Gilgit and Chitral in the south. There are several routes between Wakhan and Chital, (Hussain 2018).




Theoretically Framework

The study of geopolitics was pioneered in the early 20th century by academics like Sir Halford Mackinder and Nicholas Spykman. They put out prominent views that emphasised how crucial it was to have control over strategic geographic areas in order to achieve global dominance. Other theorists have produced new frameworks to comprehend the intricacies of geopolitics over time, building upon existing concepts. Geopolitical theory offers a framework for comprehending the interaction of geography, power, and politics. Here is a theoretical framework for understanding the geostrategic relevance of Pakistan's Wakhan Corridor, based on important geopolitical concepts: Geopolitical theory is a branch of political science that studies the link between geography, power, and politics. It aims to explain how geographical characteristics such as a state's or region's location, size, resources, and topography shape interactions and impact strategic behaviour. Geopolitical theories seek to provide light on the dynamics of international relations, the distribution of power, and the factors that drive conflict and cooperation. The field of geopolitical theory includes several viewpoints and methodologies. Some theories place a strong emphasis on the strategic importance of certain places, such as coastal regions, land corridors, or territories with abundant resources. Others examine how cultural, historical, and identity-based aspects affect international relations. Critical geopolitics focuses on how ideology and power create conceptions of territory and affect political decision-making by analysing the production and contestation of geopolitical narratives.

Geopolitical provides analytical frameworks and viewpoints for comprehending complicated geopolitical processes. The actual application and effects may be affected by a variety of circumstances, including Pakistan's actions and strategies, other regional actors, and the shifting geopolitical landscape.




Geo-Strategic Significance of Wakan Corridor 

The Wakhan Corridor is in a unique geographical location. It lies at a crossroads of four countries: China, India, or Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Its location has given it significant geo-economics, geopolitical, and geostrategic significance. The Wakhan Corridor appears on the Silk Route as a link between nations separated by enormous mountain ranges. Wakhan is the shortest trade route from China to Afghanistan and from Pakistan to Central Asia. The Wakhjir Pass is one of the most important passes on the historic trade route. It connects China's Sinking (Xinjiang) province with Afghanistan's Wakhan Valley. The opening of China's and Afghanistan's borders via the Wakhan Corridor will improve China's access to Central Asia, Europe, and Gulf countries. Pakistan may considerably profit from the Wakhan Corridor since its northern highlands along Chitral provide a good commerce route connecting Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asian states via the Wakhan Corridor. The opening of the Wakhan Corridor will increase Afghanistan's geopolitical worth by providing an additional/subsidiary route to surrounding countries. In conjunction with the Karakoram Highway, it will also allow direct access to the Indian Ocean. It will fortify Afghanistan's strategic and cooperative engagement with China (Malik, 2014).

Pakistan's engagement in the corridor can facilitate connectivity and cooperation between Afghanistan and Central Asia, fostering economic integration and stability in the wider region. It also provides Pakistan with an avenue to promote peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, which is crucial for its own security and stability Despite being mainly inaccessible, small in area, sparsely populated, and underdeveloped, the Wakhan Corridor has long been strategically important. Alexander the Great, Chinese political messengers, Muslims, Turks, Mongols, Marco Polo, Russia, the British, and others were among the traders, invaders, and adventurers who utilized it as a conduit over the years. The area preserved its Buddhist heritage through soldiers, caravans, and a rich legacy. It acted as a buffer between the two imperial expansionist countries, Russia and the United Kingdom, and was critical in averting any direct encounters and military conflict between them in the region. After ups and downs, international borders remained closed and strictly monitored during the cold war, and engagement and trade with neighbours' harmed the region tremendously. Following the demise of the Soviet Union, the idea of exporting gas and oil from the Central African Republics to South Asia and the rest of the globe developed. The proposal was taken by Unocal, a U.S. energy company. In this age of globalization, the United States and the European Union have constantly struggled for control of markets and resources ranging from East Europe to the South CARs spanning Afghanistan to Pakistan. One of the most important routes is the Silk Road, a critical branch of which travelled across Wakhan into the North Himalayas to the CARs (Khurshid, 2019).

Since China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan are geographically connected to the Wakhan Corridor, its strategic importance directly affects these three neighbours. As China can control it through the Wakir Pass, which connects to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan, China has a significantly greater degree of power over it. Additionally, this corridor offers China a different commercial route to the Arabian Sea via Afghanistan and Pakistan. The history of the corridor will give people a chance to look back on how this old trade route was used, including all the people who used it in the past. It will also give people a chance to consider what can be done in the present to get the most out of this ancient economic trading route, the geographic information that is provided in the emphasis routes and any topographical restrictions in order to enhance the current communication infrastructure and increase trade opportunities. Given that residents live all along the Wakhan Corridor and can offer support and, at the very least, inexpensive labour, knowledge of the region's demography along with its history will aid to improve understanding of its people. All of this will be useful in determining and assessing the Wakhan Corridor's strategic importance to China in particular as well as to all other regional and extra-regional nations, these states worked together for the futures of all nations (Ashraf, 2021 ).

Pakistan may considerably profit from the Wakhan Corridor since it offers an ideal commerce route connecting Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Central Asian States through its northern highlands along the Chitral. The 250-kilometre route, which begins at Broghal Pass, might link Chitral with Afghanistan through Mastuj and Booni, by constructing/upgrading an existing connection road from Shandur to Gilgit via Gahkuch and Singul to Karakorum Highway, the proposed route can greatly aid in balancing the influence of India in Afghanistan. It might also be used as a backup for a different route across Wakhjir Pass, which is closed for around five months of the year due to extreme weather. Additionally, Afghanistan's access to and integration into the larger area are also significantly hampered by insecurity. It delays regional integration, for example, by discouraging nations from adopting Afghanistan as a transit and commerce point. Afghanistan also has a problem with a lack of infrastructure and resources for bolstering the industry. The country's objectives for integration are hindered by the shaky security situation, which also prevents foreign investment in infrastructure. Despite the fact that Afghanistan provides the region's nations with the quickest connection, Furthermore, inadequate governance, insufficient support for the private sector, complicated economic policies, corruption, and a failure to enforce the rule of law all serve to deter investment and connectivity, contributing to Afghanistan's economic difficulties. The government's capacity to manage the sector, which is characterized by illicit mining and non-payment of royalties, is crucial to Afghanistan's ability to serve as a regional transit centre and energy supplier, for instance. However, the present administration has demonstrated reluctance to take action against criminal networks in the sector, demonstrating Afghanistan's wish to thrive within regional interconnectedness. According to some commentators, two things may improve relations between China and Afghanistan, first, China's capacity to contribute to the development of Afghanistan's infrastructure. The second element alludes to long-standing goodwill between China and Pakistan, which may serve as the foundation for intra-Afghan talks due to Pakistani intelligence services' influence over the Taliban. It should be underlined, meanwhile, that Pakistan has no interest in calming down the situation in Afghanistan or bolstering its economic or military might until the Durand Line territorial disputes are resolved. As a result, throughout project implementation, border region security cannot be guaranteed. In general, the link between the BRI and Afghanistan and the influx of foreign investment from China, specifically oil and gas exploration projects and the development of railway infrastructure, will foster greater connectivity and enhance security and stability in Afghanistan while re-establishing itself as an Asian hub for economic development. By prioritizing connectivity and incorporating it into its foreign policy, the nation has already started initiatives like the Sino-Afghan Special Railway Transportation to connect Afghanistan to China via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, (Ahmad, 2017).

Security Threats for Wakhan Corridor

The opening of the Wakhan Corridor will assist Pakistan in achieving its strategic and security objectives by allowing for a more aggressive military posture and countermeasures against Indian incursions into Gilgit-Baltistan from the Ladakh region. Gilgit-Baltistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan are all linked via the Qala Panja, Mintaka, and Wakhjir Passes. China strengthened this continuous link in the valleys of Darel, Yasin, Gupis, Shigar, and Tangir in 1996 by erecting concrete-base suspension bridges. Protractible supply lines aimed at the KKH, one of the most often intercepted aviation targets in the world, the interchange at the Darel and Tangir bridges' connections to the Indus right-bank road. In addition to these bridges joining the Diamer and Ghizer areas with Swat, the crucial chokepoints of the Indus Valley and Gilgit Town are avoided. While the Gupis and Yasin bridges connect Pakistan with Tajikistan, they also act as a barrier to Afghan migration across the Wakhan Corridor into the Ghizer and Hunza provinces. Pakistan and Tajikistan are separated by the line of communication ( Aziza, 2012).

The Indian aspect India is aligning its national interests with those of the United States in conformity with its proclaimed foreign policy. The opening of China's border with Afghanistan via the Wakhjir Pass and China's plans to connect the two through tunnels beneath the Pamir Mountains is seen by India as a geopolitical and economic opportunity that allows it to flank China. With this flanking manoeuvre, China will be able to more successfully lead the three nations of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan, which will put India at a strategic disadvantage. In India, there is a belief that its archrival will benefit more from this outflanking manoeuvre. In order to access the CARs through Chabahar, India solely relies on the Iranian Approach. The massive hydrocarbon deposits in Central Asia, most of which are still intact, are what give the area its strategic importance, according to the United States. 51% of the daily oil needs of the United States, or 19.5 million barrels per day, are imported. By 2020, 25.8 million barrels per day, or 64% of the country's oil requirements, are expected to be imported. Currently, most of the oil used in the United States comes from Venezuela and the Persian Gulf, whereas most of the oil used in Europe comes from the North Sea and the Persian Gulf. Due to common U.S. and Chinese objectives, the alternate Silk Route seems to be out of the question for the foreseeable future. Using is, therefore, the quickest and The United States has realised that, as players in the New Great Game, China, Russia, and Europe have started to benefit while the U.S. is mostly losing because of its own self-inflicted mess. The US must understand that its influence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean would diminish if it maintains its harsh and predatory tactics. As a result, the U.S. needs an Afghanistan that is friendly, but it must also understand that in a world that is getting smaller and smaller, it cannot be an Afghanistan that is only friendly to the U.S. It must therefore adopt measures that promote cooperation,(George, 2004).

The Beijing fascination Pakistan, which is strategically situated at the junction of all roads heading to the Caspian Sea and is a neighbour of the Wakhan Corridor, has some advantages, and China is a big economic power. China and Pakistan must move swiftly to connect the strategic Wakhan Corridor with eastern Afghanistan through Pakistan's northern highlands, ideally along the Chitral River by building and enhancing the current route from Chitral to Jalalabad in Afghanistan, in order to benefit from its value for their interests. Consequently, a 250-kilometre route through Chitral between China and Afghanistan should start at Broghal Pass and continue all the way to Jalalabad in Afghanistan. The planned path will serve as a diversion for China and Pakistan off the Silk Road. o China's geo-economics clout in the Caspian and Indian Ocean regions makes sense for a stable international order. India worries that China opened the Wakhjir Pass as an outflanking strategy to isolate it. India will consequently attempt to advance and use routes through Iran in an effort to balance the interests of Pakistan and China. The void left by the United States leaving Afghanistan will be filled by China's economy.

The Wakhan Corridor, located in northeastern Afghanistan, is a region that is prone to various security threats. Some of the security threats for the Wakhan Corridor include:

? Insurgency and Terrorism: The presence of insurgent groups, such as the Taliban, in Afghanistan, poses a significant security threat to the Wakhan Corridor. These groups may launch attacks, carry out acts of terrorism, and engage in activities that disrupt peace and stability in the region.

? Border Insecurity: The Wakhan Corridor shares borders with multiple countries, including Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan. The porous nature of these borders makes them susceptible to smuggling, illicit trade, and the infiltration of armed groups, creating security challenges for the region.

? Drug Trafficking: Afghanistan is known for being one of the largest producers of opium and heroin in the world. The Wakhan Corridor, being located adjacent to major drug-producing areas, serves as a transit route for drug trafficking networks. This illegal trade fuels corruption, and violence, and poses a significant security threat to the region.

? Regional Power Dynamics: The Wakhan Corridor is located at the crossroads of major regional powers, including Russia, China, and Pakistan. Geopolitical rivalries, territorial disputes, and proxy conflicts in neighbouring regions can have spillover effects, leading to instability and security threats in the Wakhan Corridor.

? Ethnic and Tribal Clashes: The Wakhan Corridor is home to diverse ethnic groups and tribes, which can sometimes lead to tensions and conflicts. Competing interests, territorial disputes, and historical grievances among these groups can escalate into violence and pose security challenges.

? Environmental Challenges: The harsh and remote geography of the Wakhan Corridor presents unique security concerns. Extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, and limited infrastructure make it difficult to ensure the safety and well-being of the local population, especially during emergencies.

? Militancy and Extremism: The influence of militant and extremist ideologies can infiltrate the Wakhan Corridor, leading to radicalization and the potential for homegrown terrorism. This threat is further exacerbated by the lack of socioeconomic opportunities and limited access to education and healthcare in the region.

The security situation in the Wakhan Corridor is complex and constantly evolving. The aforementioned threats are not exhaustive, and the specific challenges may vary over time as political, social, and economic factors change. Several ethnic groups live in the Wakhan Corridor, notably the Wakhi people, who have ties to Hunza and Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan in terms of culture and history. Positive effects on Pakistan's social and cultural relations could result from fostering ethnic and cultural ties through trade, tourism, and person-to-person interactions in the Wakhan Corridor. Efforts towards regional integration can benefit from the improvement of connectivity and infrastructure in the Wakhan Corridor. The corridor can open up opportunities for more economic cooperation, cross-cultural interactions, and diplomatic engagement between regional players by linking Pakistan to Central Asia and perhaps even China. In addition to having infrastructure and accessibility issues, the Wakhan Corridor is vulnerable to natural calamities. Pakistan may contribute to the region by offering aid in the form of disaster relief and support for disaster management, thereby strengthening its standing and influence there.

Finding and Discussion

The Wakhan Corridor is a short band of land that connects Pakistan with Tajikistan in northeastern Afghanistan. While the region is not physically part of Pakistan's territory, it is geo-strategically important to Pakistan for various reasons: The Wakhan Corridor acts as a buffer zone between Pakistan and Central Asia, notably Tajikistan. It serves as a natural barrier, preventing direct border contact between Pakistan and Tajikistan. This geographical isolation benefits Pakistan in terms of security and minimizing the likelihood of conflict.

? Trade and Connectivity: The Wakhan Corridor has the potential to become a vital trade and transportation corridor between Pakistan and Central Asia. As Pakistan wants to strengthen commercial and economic connections with its northern neighbours including China, Tajikistan, and other Central Asian countries, the corridor might serve as a major land route for trade, energy, and connectivity initiatives. This will improve Pakistan's access to the resource-rich region and help it thrive economically.

? Regional Stability: Afghanistan's stability is critical for Pakistan's security and stability. Because the Wakhan Corridor is located in Afghanistan, it has consequences for the region's overall security situation. Pakistan can play a role in fostering stability and security in the region by closely watching developments in the corridor and maintaining diplomatic ties with the Afghan government, which will have an indirect impact on Pakistan's own security interests.

? Counter-Terrorism Efforts: The Wakhan Corridor shares a border with the turbulent Afghan region of Badakhshan, which has seen the presence of several extremist and terrorist groups. Pakistan, as a frontline state in the war against terrorism, has a genuine interest in avoiding the spread of violence and extremism into its own territory. Monitoring the Wakhan Corridor aids Pakistan in identifying prospective terrorist movements and coordinating with regional partners to combat the threat of terrorism.

? Energy and Resource Potential: The region surrounding the Wakhan Corridor is thought to hold enormous energy and mineral resources, including hydrocarbon deposits and rare earth minerals. The development and extraction of these resources could help not just Afghanistan but also its neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan. As a result, Pakistan is interested in the corridor's stability and administration to ensure the exploration and development of these resources.

Because of its strategic location, the potential for trade and connectivity, impact on regional stability, role in counterterrorism efforts, and prospective energy and mineral reserves, the Wakhan Corridor has geostrategic significance for Pakistan. By constantly monitoring and engaging with the corridor, Pakistan can protect its own security interests, strengthen regional collaboration, and contribute to the region's stability and prosperity (Tanwar, 2022).

Conclusion

The Significant of geostrategic significance belongs to Pakistan's Wakhan Corridor. Pakistan benefits much from and has many opportunities because of this small area of territory. The corridor serves as a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan and Tajikistan, which aids in preserving stability along the common border. Given the unstable situation in Afghanistan, this is especially important for Pakistan's security concerns. Along with enhancing people-to-people, economic, and social ties between China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the route will herald a new age of social, cultural, and economic development for the whole region. As a result, there will be increased regional economic development and religious harmony. This will also strengthen the strategic ties between the three nations. The suggested trade route will help Pakistan's economy and eventually lead to its sovereignty by relieving it of the burden of domestic and external debt, which will remove restrictions and enable it to conduct its foreign policy as necessary. By linking Pakistan's northern highlands and central plains, investors would be able to quickly explore and utilise the nation's natural riches, including uranium, for the development of the region, the western one with China. The Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan and the surrounding Afghan provinces' fears about the spread of Islamic extremism to China's Xingjian Autonomous Region will be lessened by the social and economic development of these regions. The development of the Gwadar Port Project and related infrastructure, which China will use to increase its trading capabilities, will benefit from the construction and improvement of the proposed road from Wakhan to Afghanistan via Chitral and its connection to the Karakoram Highway near Gilgit. Strategically, linking Gwadar Port to the Wakhan Corridor via the Karakoram Highway will be advantageous for China; as a result, it must act fast and wisely to share the advantages with Pakistan.

The extension of CPEC into Afghanistan may also benefit the nation's transition to a prosperous one by lowering the number of nationalist and religious parties that resist the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Last but not least, if the United States' military presence entirely withdraws, China may aim to absorb Afghanistan inside its financial and opinionated spheres of control, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative. While China has the ability to arbitrate tranquillity talks between the Taliban and Pakistani Taliban, becoming a prominent participant in the area and increasing its BRI activities will not only assure economic gains for China and its BRI allies but will also benefit the region as a whole. The Wakhan Corridor is crucial in terms of geopolitics for Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan. The construction of this corridor will have significant implications for regional and international parties in Afghanistan, particularly India and the United States. The creation of this passage through the Wakhjir Pass would be welcomed by most nations today, including the United States. However, as it did with CPEC, India may raise its concerns today. 

These implications must be handled pragmatically in order to serve the interests of the regional powers. In order to profit Pakistan needs to keep up its promise to expand relations with China, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. The study has talked about the geo-strategic importance of exploiting the Wakhan Corridor for regional connectivity, suggesting that establishing this route will foster peace, stability, and economic growth in the area. Being a part of this corridor will also help Pakistan strengthen its diplomatic and economic ties. The Wakhan corridor divides Tajikistan from Kashmir, which is occupied by Pakistan. There are no land-based commercial routes connecting Central Asia and India. They will cross through Afghanistan if they ever exist, and India's access to them will depend on its relations with both Pakistan and Afghanistan. With the CARs, Pakistan has no shared border.  The necessity of establishing a road link between the two nations over the Wakhan corridor has prompted Pakistan to contact CARs, particularly Tajikistan. Between Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor and Pakistan's Ishhamun Valley, this 35–45 km road would be constructed. Due to its severe lack of energy resources and ongoing economic problems, Pakistan stands to gain from bilateral commerce with the CARs. Pakistan can also help other nations gain access to the CARs by opening this territory to them. Some businesses are considering a 700 km potential electricity transmission network between Pakistan and Tajikistan using only the 30 km Wakhan corridor to address the country's electricity shortage issue. Despite the unpredictability of Afghanistan's internal circumstances, actively using alternate routes.

Presently, both its eastern and southern neighbours place a high significance on the Wakhan region. Greater geopolitical and geostrategic interests in the Wakhan region are shared by Pakistan and China. Aksai-Chin is the result of a dispute between China and India over the delineation of their shared border in the Taghdumbash Pamir and Karakoram Belt, which includes the Shahidullah sector and is closely connected to Sokhta Rabat and Wakhan. Comparable Russian and Indian designs are present there, and both nations share perspectives on China and Pakistan. The development of these resources can considerably contribute to Pakistan's energy security. The Wakhan Corridor is strategically and economically important to Pakistan. Its position and resources provide prospects for enhanced connectivity, trade, and energy security for Pakistan. Furthermore, participation in the corridor can help to maintain regional stability and peace. As a result, Pakistan should actively pursue policies that utilize the Wakhan Corridor's potential to protect its interests and encourage regional cooperation. Despite not being directly under Pakistan's authority, the Wakhan Corridor is important from a geopolitical perspective because of its proximity and potential to influence regional politics. The corridor provides chances to advance counterterrorism initiatives, trade and connectivity, regional influence, and border security. It also raises security questions and is impacted by regional great power rivalry. In the end, Pakistan's participation in the Wakhan Corridor will be determined by its relations with Afghanistan and its larger regional goals.

In future, the Wakhan Corridor allowed Pakistan to extend its commercial channels to the CARs. Given its geographic position, Pakistan is seen as important by major international powers since it can offer the CARs the undeviating transportation road and maritime conveniences through the Wakhan access strip a short sliver of land separating Chitral from Tajikistan to the north. The Wakhan passageway is anticipated to be the majority crucial area intended for international trade.

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