https://sputnikglobe.com/20260515/pakistans-search-for-markets-beyond-the-gulf-and-the-west-1124132023.html
Pakistan's Search for Markets Beyond the Gulf and the West
Pakistan's Search for Markets Beyond the Gulf and the West
Sputnik International
The IMF has warned that Pakistan's economy remains dangerously tied to the Gulf Cooperation Council, which supplies over four-fifths of its fuel and half of all remittances.
2026-05-15T15:42+0000
2026-05-15T15:42+0000
2026-05-15T15:42+0000
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The International Monetary Fund has issued a stark warning: A staggering 85% of Pakistani fuel imports and 50% of its remittances come from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.But Islamabad is putting together a backup plan, Dr Shaista Tabassum, former Dean of the Faculty of Law and Professor of International Relations at the University of Karachi, told Sputnik.Three Ways to Reduce Gulf DependenceFind new markets – Russia and Central Asia are promising alternatives, with a gas pipeline among potential projectsFix domestic mismanagement – the Pakistani fuel sector remains poorly managed, but better planning, combined with local renewables such as wind, solar and hydropower, could reduce reliance on importsExplore new routes – The QTTA route, from China to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is shorter than older Central Asian corridors and opens up new markets for Pakistani goods — provided the security situation in Gilgit-Baltistan holdsAre Panda Bonds a 'Chinese Lifeboat'?Pakistan recently issued its first 'panda bonds' in China — a small sum for now, but a start.She says they are a practical way to move away from "roll-over financing" — though much will depend on Pakistan's complex relationship with China.The Bottom LineNo single move will break the dependency on the Gulf states overnight, but between QTTA, panda bonds and talks with Russia and Central Asia, Pakistan is quietly making its Plan B.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20260514/panda-bonds-could-help-pakistan-bypass-us-dollar-and-access-chinese-capital-market---economist-1124125219.html
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imf, pakistan, china, russia, gulf cooperation council, sputnik, international monetary fund
imf, pakistan, china, russia, gulf cooperation council, sputnik, international monetary fund
Pakistan's Search for Markets Beyond the Gulf and the West
The IMF has warned that Pakistan's economy remains dangerously tied to the Gulf Cooperation Council, which supplies over four-fifths of its fuel and half of all remittances.
The International Monetary Fund has issued a stark warning: A staggering 85% of Pakistani fuel imports and 50% of its remittances come from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
But Islamabad is putting together a backup plan, Dr Shaista Tabassum, former Dean of the Faculty of Law and Professor of International Relations at the University of Karachi, told Sputnik.
Three Ways to Reduce Gulf Dependence
Find new markets – Russia and Central Asia are promising alternatives, with a gas pipeline among potential projects
Fix domestic mismanagement – the Pakistani fuel sector remains poorly managed, but better planning, combined with local renewables such as wind, solar and hydropower, could reduce reliance on imports
Explore new routes – The QTTA route, from China to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is shorter than older Central Asian corridors and opens up new markets for Pakistani goods — provided the security situation in Gilgit-Baltistan holds
Are Panda Bonds a 'Chinese Lifeboat'?
Pakistan recently issued its first 'panda bonds' in China — a small sum for now, but a start.
"These panda bonds can definitely be seen as an alternative to western lenders," Tabassum said. "It is aimed at diversifying Pakistan's economic activity, to protect its economy in times of crisis."
She says they are a practical way to move away from "roll-over financing" — though much will depend on Pakistan's complex relationship with China.
No single move will break the dependency on the Gulf states overnight, but between QTTA, panda bonds and talks with Russia and Central Asia, Pakistan is quietly making its Plan B.
