Benazir Samad
In the mountainous northern regions of Pakistan, South Asia feels a world away. In Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, which share strong cultural ties with Tajikistan’s eastern Gorno-Badakhshan region and Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province, some residents add ethnic identifiers such as “Tajik,” “Pamiri,” or “Badakhshani” to their names. While these identifiers don’t appear on official documents, they serve as markers of ancestry and cultural belonging. They also reveal an unofficial truth: Pakistan is far closer to Central Asia than it often cares to admit.
Since its founding in 1947, Pakistan has defined itself almost exclusively through a South Asian lens. Its economy, national security priorities, and even pop culture have been oriented eastward. However, by sidelining its deep cultural and historical links to Central Asia, Pakistan has limited its foreign-policy horizons. It is long past time for Pakistan to embrace the strategic benefits of these shared ties.
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