Pakistan crisis

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Claudia Chia – an independent researcher and former research analyst at the Institute of South Asia Studies at the National University of Singapore ̶ is the 370th in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.” Explain the implications of Afghanistan’s recent decision to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the aegis of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Statements considering Afghanistan’s entry into CPEC have been published on multiple occasions by Pakistan and China, and Afghanistan is a formal member of the BRI. However, no real progress has been made until Afghanistan’s recent decision. The successful signing of the 25-year Amu Darya oil contract worth $540 million between Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas (CAPEIC) and the Taliban-led administration in January 2023 was a huge win that probably hastened the process. Joining CPEC is a wise move for the Taliban to show their commitment to the Afghan population of rebuilding the Afghan economy. As Afghanistan is landlocked, the development of more transit routes through Pakistan and China would be important for trade and exports. However, whether this development entails that the Taliban will make progress on Chinese concerns like restricting Uyghur militant activities and improving security for Ch...

Supporters of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party rally in Islamabad on April 2, as Prime Minister Imran Khan called on his supporters to take to the streets ahead of a parliamentary no-confidence vote that could see him thrown out of office. Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images Editor’s note, April 10: Sunday, Imran Khan received a vote of no confidence from the Pakistani parliament, losing his position as prime minister. A vote on a new prime minister is expected as soon as Monday. One of Pakistan’s twin crises was resolved this week. The other one, not so much. On Thursday, the country’s supreme court delivered a It was a surprising and reassuring decision, experts in the country’s politics said, given the supreme court’s checkered record as a sometime political ally of Khan. On Thursday, the court sided with the rule of law. But the underlying political crisis that led to the court’s landmark order endures. Khan outlandishly blamed the opposition parties’ efforts to oust him on a US-driven foreign conspiracy. Now, the Parliament has been restored and will continue with its no-confidence vote against Khan’s premiership Saturday, likely leading to his ouster and extraordinary elections later this year. Khan, for his part, said that he would “ The broader political crisis, however, can be traced to the 2018 election that brought Khan to power. Traditionally, the military is the most significant institution in Pakistan, and it has often intervene...