Gwadar in Oman: From "gift" to Pakistani territory Gwadar, a city in southwestern Pakistan, has long been in the spotlight of international attention. However, more than sixty years ago, this high-profile region was not part of Pakistan, but the territory of Oman. This historical change has raised the question: How did Gwadar go from being part of Oman to being part of Pakistan? In fact, Gwadar, as a gift, was originally a "gift" received by Oman. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Karat Khanate in western Pakistan gave Gwadar and its surrounding lands to a prince of Oman, Sultan bin Ahmed, who had come to take refuge. He was exiled to another country because he lost the battle for the throne.
Then, in 1792, Sultan seized power amid Oman's civil unrest and became the fourth ruler of the Sayyid dynasty in Oman. After Sultan's rule, the Karat Khanate tried to reclaim Gwadar, but failed, as Oman had gradually risen to become an empire. Under the rule of Sultan and his son Syed bin Sultan for more than sixty years, the powerful Omani fleet continued to conquer the southeastern Arabian Peninsula, the shores of the Strait of Hormuz, southern Iran, and the islands of Sanzibal, Mombasa and northwestern Madagascar on the east coast of Africa. In the nineteenth century, the Saeed dynasty of Oman emerged in West Asia and East Africa. As Oman's power grew, Gwadar evolved into an important commercial supply port and military stronghold.
It can be said that it is precisely because of Oman's national strength that it has been able to effectively rule Gwadar for decades. However, time passed, and in 1958, Oman's rule over Gwadar came to an end. In that year, Pakistan bought Gwadar for £3 million, and Oman sold the land mainly because it was caught in a battle for national unity and lacked financial and human resources. From 1915 onwards, some tribes rebelled against British colonial rule, resulting in Oman being split in two, the inland "Islamic Elderate of Oman" and the coastal "Sultanate of Muscat". In 1954, the Sultanate of Muscat launched the War to Unify Oman, captured Naizwa, the capital of the Islamic Elderate, the following year, and in 1959 captured the last strongholds such as Green Hill.
However, behind the military operation in Muscat lies a serious crisis of insufficient troops and empty treasury. Today, Gwadar has become one of the important nodes of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, attracting a lot of investment and attention. However, we must also not forget that this city that once belonged to Oman, has a long and tortuous history that eventually became the territory of Pakistan. History is a mirror that reflects our reality and future. We need to deeply reflect on history and draw wisdom from it, but we also need to cherish the present and prepare for the future. In 2018, China and Pakistan jointly launched the second phase of the Gwadar Port project, the completion of which will make Gwadar one of the largest deep-water ports in Asia.
Behind this historical change, it also calls for closer cooperation between countries in the geopolitical pattern and economic development strategy. Only cooperation can achieve mutual benefit and win-win results and promote regional prosperity. At the same time, this historical change has fully demonstrated the irreversible trend of cooperation among major countries and economic globalization, and that true peace and stability can only be achieved through common development. The international news of Gwadar Port has attracted widespread attention from the international community. The evolution of this port is not only a reflection of geopolitical changes, but also a new model of win-win international cooperation. The construction of Gwadar Port not only brings more economic opportunities and employment opportunities, but also builds a friendly bridge for international cooperation. Gwadar has become a symbol of international cooperation and connectivity, and a witness to the continuous development of human society.
The development of history tells us that geopolitics is not only territorial competition, but also win-win cooperation is an important way for the development of human society. Under the mirror of history, we should promote international cooperation and jointly build a peaceful and stable world order.