Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly said Pakistan will facilitate Uzbekistan to get access to its seaports of Gwadar and Karachi in a bid to enhance regional connectivity. The landlocked Central Asian countries can certainly benefit from Pakistan's seaports for the greater benefit of their economies. But this objective cannot be achieved in the absence of peace, however relative, in Afghanistan. Hence the need for efforts for peace in Afghanistan on the part of Central Asian States as well. Moreover, the Central Asian States, which constitute Russia's 'near abroad', will be requiring Moscow's help to make their access to Pakistani ports possible. It is needless to say that there is a Russian stake in Afghanistan.

Sarmad Khan (Lahore)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021