Kuala Lampur, Oct. 6 -- Few in Aseanrealise that Pakistan - though geographically located in South Asia - has always carried a strategic weight that reaches deep into Southeast Asia's future.

Its status as a sectoral dialogue partner may appear modest, yet it represents far more than a diplomatic courtesy. It is an acknowledgment that Pakistan stands at the intersection of three vast regions - the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indo-Pacific - and can therefore play a catalytic role in shaping Asia's economic and security order.

Pakistan's geography is its destiny. With a 990-kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea and the deep-water port of Gwadar near the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan has become a pivotal node in the China-Pakistan ...