ISLAMABAD : The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) has said that the newsanctions of the United States (US) on Iran have damaged the Indian plansto become a dominant regional player.
President PEW, Murtaza Mughal has said that the US sanctions have put aquestion mark on the future of Chabahar port of Iran which was badly neededby India for trade with Afghanistan bypassingPakistan.
He said that Chabahar Port located in southeastern Iran and serving asIran’s only oceanic port was also touted as a rival to the China PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC) but the latest US move has jeopardized its futurewasting billions of dollars of investment by India in Iran and Afghanistan.
The uneasy relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has helped move alot of transit trade to Iran compromising Pakistan’s position inAfghanistan but the situation has taken a turn in favour ofIslamabad afterthe sanctions and Karachi’s port has regained importance, the President PEWadded.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that Pakistan is regaining its importance in theAfghan politics while a lot of efforts initiated by India have gone downthe drain.
The Iranian port has no future as no institution or international bank willtry to engage in business with Tehran to face US wrath, he said, addingthat Iran’s efforts to reach some central Asia states bypassingPakistanhave also failed.
Similarly, now India has no way to reach Afghanistan and central Asia andshe would soon seek a land route from Pakistan which should never beallowed.