Pakistan’s Dual Role in the Hormuz Crisis and the CPEC Corridor
TLDR: Pakistan delivered Washington’s 15-point peace plan to Iran on the same day Chinese warships docked in Karachi. Gwadar Port, operated by China under a 40-year lease, sits 400 km from Hormuz and bypasses the blocked strait entirely. Hormuz traffic has collapsed over 90 percent, with Iran collecting yuan tolls and drafting laws to make them permanent. Pakistan owes China over $30 billion and sources 81 percent of its arms from Beijing while holding U.S. ally status. Pakistan finds itself at the center of a growing geopolitical puzzle as the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens. The country is actively mediating between the United States and Iran while simultaneously hosting China’s most strategic maritime bypass. Analysts are now watching Islamabad closely. Pakistan holds Major Non-NATO Ally status with Washington, owes Beijing over $30 billion, and operates a port that becomes more valuable the longer Hormuz stays closed. Pakistan’s Dual Role in the Hormuz Standoff Traff...