Trans-Regional Connectivity in Eurasia’s Heartland and the Role of Uzbekistan

Eurasia has been increasingly integrating mainly due to the Eurasian powers’
collaboration. Uzbekistan occupies the heart of Eurasia’s heartland having
borders with all Central Asian Republics including Afghanistan. The land
locked nature of the country induces it to search for outlets towards regional
and global markets to capitalize upon its tremendous growth for expanded
development. Pakistan provides the most economical and historical outlet to
Uzbekistan and to the Eurasian heartland via Afghanistan. Despite having a
common past the countries of Central and South Asia are least integrated in
the contemporary era. Pakistan and Uzbekistan also realize that Central and
South Asian connectivity via Afghanistan will help build a solid basis for
sustainable peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan is part
of important transportation corridors linking the Eurasian heartland in all
directions. Pakistan has framed “Vision Central Asia Policy” and envisaging
Pakistan-Afghanistan-Central Asia Corridor to supplement CPEC in
fundamentally changed regional geo-political and geo-economic
circumstances. The paper mainly argues that the changed regional and global
state of affairs make the regional environment conducive for enhanced
connectivity between Central and South Asia via Afghanistan while Pakistan
and Uzbekistan have to play leading roles necessitated by their significant
geographical locations in respective regions in an altered regional scenario