Contemporary Socio-economic Challenges at the Tri-Borderland Region of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan: Implications for Islam-West Relations
Keywords:
Chabahar-Gwadar MoU 2016, Baloch Populated Region, Afghanistan-Iran Resistive Economic Mechanism, Pak-Afghan Barter Trade Agreement 2022, Iranian Concept of West Asia, NATO Presence in AsiaAbstract
The tri-borderland region, encompassing Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, stands at the crossroads of significant socio-economic challenges that have profound implications for the complex relations between Islam and the West. By addressing these challenges through the lens of social science theories -- specifically, Dependency Theory (as formulated by Raul Prebisch, Raul Prebisch and Hans Singer), World-Systems Theory (as developed by Immanuel Wallerstein) and the concept of a Resistive Economy (championed by Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi) -- this study provides a framework for understanding how underdevelopment of various Muslim states in the global periphery can be linked to the economic dominance of Western nations.
In the tri-borderland region, these theories elucidate patterns of economic disparities and highlight the potential consequences for Islam-West relations. Additionally, Development Economics offers valuable insights into the economic struggles faced by the tri-borderland. Economists such as Amartya Sen and Ha-Joon Chang have contributed significantly in understanding of the diverse array of socio-economic challenges and have proposed potential strategies for bridging the gap between Islam and the West. Furthermore, this study underscores the significance of strengthening economic cooperation among Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in a way that “The cooperation between the three Muslim nations could enable them to function more effectively as a bloc and to play a mediating role between the Islamic World and the West within the context of global issues” (Farhad & Zaheer, 2023).
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