Pakistan's Geography, Security, and the Shadow of CPEC
Pakistan's Geography, Security, and the Shadow of CPEC Pakistan's geography is a relentless adversary: a slender strip of land hemmed in by the towering Himalayas to the north, the arid Thar Desert to the southeast, and a volatile western border with Afghanistan that serves as a conduit for militancy. This configuration concentrates 80-90% of its burgeoning 241 million population—projected to swell to 417 million by 2050 under medium scenarios—in the fertile eastern Indus plains, while vast western expanses like Balochistan remain sparsely inhabited and underdeveloped. As climate expert Adil Najam warns, "Every country is now a victim" of climate change, but Pakistan's vulnerabilities are acute, ranking it among the top 10 most affected nations despite contributing less than 1% of global emissions. Cities like Lahore, just 20-50 km from India, lie exposed to short-range missiles, while western hubs like Peshawar face Afghan rocket threats. The China-Pakist...