An Article on: History of communication betweeen Pakistan and Central Asia Countries
The communication between Pakistan and central Asian countries which may leads to development of both is traced back to the old trade routes. the boundaries of central Asian republic lies in the past between china and India on one side and western world On the other side .regarding their geographical location it played the role of east West trade route. A historical silk route which was the main land route at that time Played the role of bridge between eastern countries and western countries,which Started from Xien (old name CHANG’N )the ancient capital of china passes through The heart of vast central Asian land to the Venice in Italy. Due to silk route trade route central Asia developed and prospered .when the sea routes discovered .The trade routes shifted from land to open seas routes across the pacific ,Indian and Atlantic ocean .the commerce through land routes decreased which lead to the Isolation of central Asian countries .but despite s such situation the trade between Lahore ,Multan ,Shikarpore and Peshawar on one hand and Samarkand,Bukhara and Baku on other hand continued .also the trade communication between Kashmir,swat,yarkand, Khotan and kashghar restored continuesly but after the diplomatic war between Russians and British the root remained closed in the 19th century .being in the state of isolation central Asian republic went with Russian side and the land of Pakistan confined to south Asia.the prolonged cultural and historical ties between Pakistan And these states interrupted finally.the people of both regions alienated within the last seventy years. The trade and cultural routes that are mentioned above are the part of that high ways in which the people of central Asia felt convenience regarding trade included common wealth of independent states.(7 states)and Xinjiang(now province of china) and the Indus region (Pakistan)for this purpose Kashmir has been the focal point as the part of Indus region .geographically the routes lies north south direction linking The people belong of three main regions The countries in and around Mawara-un-nahr, (kazakhistan, uzbekistan, kyrgistan, tajikistan and turkmenistan) In the outskirts of old Kashgharia and Jungaria consisting the whole Xingiang ,west of the Hexi corridor and Jiauqian pass(countries near Taklaman desert Areas in indus valley consists of Hindukush and Karakoram mountains to the Arabian sea .(Pakistan) Also a rail track has been built up between Baku and Nakhichevan through Armenia .Huge range of mountains lies between north and south.the Hindu kush range of mountain in the north of pakistan end at Afghanistan separate Mawara-un-nahar from the southern region .the Ghissar mountainous ranges in Tajikistan branches out from Pamir separate the southern part of Tajikistan and Kyrgistan from wah Khan trip of Afghanistan, chitral ,yasin,Gilgit and Hunza.the area lies in the north of pakistan .kashmir and northern Areas of pakistan separated from the old kashgharia by Karakorum and kunlun ranges of mountains .the mountain of Tienshan which stretches from Kyrgyzstan and the old Kashgharia from Jungaria .the old silk route which goes east to west from old changan , modern Xien,the capital of shansi province of china along the Hexi corridor right up to Jiauqian gate which is the southern end of the great wall of china .from here it splits into two directions.the northern route and the southern route . Northen route>passed to north of Taklamakan desert and south of Gobi desert and Tien shan mountain,acoss Hami,Turfan,Aksu,Kacha to kasghar Southern route>passed to south of Taklamakan desert and north of Kunlun mountain across Niya ,Khotan and Yaakand and finally reaches kashghar . From Yaarkand the old route goes along the yaarkand river and went down to karakorum pass and ladakh,at the east to siachen zojila pass and kashmir. Another route also comes out from yaarkand to shimsal pass and came to Hunza and Gilgit and finally reaches Taxila. Three routes comes out from kashghar Start from Tashkurgan followed the mastuj valley and then cross the shandur pass went to chitral which is the south of hindu kush Another route from kunar(province of afghanistan) to nawa pass bajour agency .swat and peshawar . from Mastuj to Darkot pass and on to Yaasin and Gilgit Also to the north of Dorkot lies the famous Boroghal pass(chitral) which connect central asia with pakistan through Wah khan trip Along wakhan wakhjir river flows which goes westward to Qila-i-panja on the Oxus river. One can see several crossing of Oxus river between wakhan and Badakhshan. These crossing then enters into southern-eastern part of Tajikistan on Pamirs. Presently the easiest route through road is from Peshawar to kabul,from kabul to MAzar sharif. From here to Tirmiz via kunduz to badakhshan across the Oxus river into Tajikistan finally . At present time Pakistan has four routes to access to central Asian states . Two of them trough Afghanistan and other two through Iran and china But the shortest routes is through Afghanistan . Of these routes through Afghanistan,the shortest and easiest route is from Peshawar to Kabul onward to mazar sharif via slang pass and across the modern bridge over the Oxus river to Tirmiz and finally to any central Asian state . The second route is from Quetta to Kandahar,from Kandahar to Hirat ,from Hirat via Maima to Mazar-i-sharif and then to Tirmiz . Besides Afghanistan another route is from Quetta to Zahidan,(Iran) from Zahidan to Mashhed and finally to Sarakh And the fourth one is from khunjrab pass to Kashghar,from Kashghar to Osh or Alma Ata. Economic importance of these central Asian states to Pakistan and other countries in this region. As mentioned earlier that people of both regions had a strong trade relation in the past .pakistan is still have strong brother and economic relation with these states .the representative from both side visit time to time .both side have strong diplomatic relationship too. Pakistan has signed an agreement of Gas pipe line with Turkmanistan. Known as TAP.(Turkmanistan ,Afghanistan,Pakistan gas Pipeline ) this project will benefit these three countries .Afghanistan is included in the Agreement because this line will come to pakistan via Afghanistan .This project is cheaper than Pakistan ,Iran gas pipeline . This project will overcome the shortage of energy in Pakistan. Recently Pakistan has signed an agreement of 1000 megawatt electricity with Tajikistan during prime minister Nawaz sharif. These projects will benefit both the sides economically. Further agreements are also expected in the future. Gawadar seaport and central Asian countries. china want access to resources and market of central asian countries through Gawadar,because it is the shortest and easiest route .in the future Gawadar seaport will benefit many countries in the region including Pakistan , china ,India and Afghanistan.due to its strategic pakistan will have more good relation with these central republics. Bia khan (talk) 04:08, 4 May 2018 (UTC)