Buddhism Transmission in Ancient Swat: Pathways of Religious Expansion and Regional Connectivity
Keywords:
Gwadar Port, CPEC, International Maritime Law, UNCLOS, Freedom of Navigation, Maritime Security, Marine Environmental Protection, Maritime GovernanceAbstract
Although much of the existing literature on Gwadar discusses its economic and strategic significance, there is a need to examine the international maritime-law implications of its growing importance. This article critically evaluates the law governing maritime development in connection with CPEC at Gwadar, with a particular focus on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), international maritime law instruments of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as the domestic maritime and environmental laws of Pakistan. It evaluates the interplay of coastal-state jurisdiction with freedom of navigation, maritime security, marine environmental protection, fisheries, and community rights in coastal areas, international commerce, foreign economic involvement, and maritime dispute resolution. The analysis is based on primary legal materials, such as UNCLOS, IMO Conventions, national laws and port regulations of Pakistan, and related literature on international maritime law, port management, CPEC, and maritime geopolitics. The paper contends that the CPEC has not created an independent legal regime for Gwadar, and rather the development of the port continues to be within the purview of the jurisdiction of Pakistan and its international maritime obligations. The paper thus concludes that the legal sustainability of Gwadar in the long run depends on the coordination of institutions, harmonization of domestic law and international obligations, improved environmental and fisheries regulations, foreign commercial regulation and increased maritime cooperation in the region and internationally.
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