The prospect of a Western Asian/Muslim world union similar to the European Union (EU)

[Corruptistan]

How realistic is it for Western Asia (I include Pakistan here) to develop some kind of regional union (political, economic maybe even potentially military) that would have parallels to the European Union. In other words free movement of goods, people, trade deals, great interconnectivity, greater economic interconenctive (political scientists and ground realities have proven time and time again that countries that have great economic ties rarely go to war with each other) and greater regional peace and prosperity?

In a more and more interconnected and globalized world (we saw that happened during a global pandemic a few years ago, now we see the effects of a global economic criss that only a few select countries have been almost immune to - mainly GCC states but not only), it is quite "amazing" (rather shameful) that such a rich region like Western Asia (in terms of history, heritage, natural resources, trade routes, key geographic location, culture, religion, potential) is so divided when we think about it?

The only remotely functioning and real economic, political, military etc. union that I can think of is the GCC and that too mainly because it is a monarchic political club (see Yemen and Iraq for instance), the Arab League, while existing longer than the UN (!), has not really created/done much for the Arab world, and outside of that there is not much or any legitimate regional unions.

There is the ASEAN in South East Asia, I am not too familiar with this organization, but at least it appears to be somewhat functioning.

When will this change for the better? I could in fact make this topic about the entire Muslim world, not only West Asia + Pakistan as such.

Is the current status quo not quite surreal in terms of lack of genuine integration and cooperation? Does the average Pakistani, Arab, Turk, Iranian etc. even know how much their respective nations/peoples are losing on this status quo in terms of economy, peace, people to people relations, potential?

Surely I cannot be the only one with such feelings whenever I see certain discussions online?

 

[Maula Jatt]

How realistic is it for Western Asia (I include Pakistan here) to develop some kind of regional union (political, economic maybe even potentially military) that would have parallels to the European Union. In other words free movement of goods, people, trade deals, great interconnectivity, greater economic interconenctive (political scientists and ground realities have proven time and time again that countries that have great economic ties rarely go to war with each other) and greater regional peace and prosperity?

In a more and more interconnected and globalized world (we saw that happened during a global pandemic a few years ago, now we see the effects of a global economic criss that only a few select countries have been almost immune to - mainly GCC states but not only), it is quite "amazing" (rather shameful) that such a rich region like Western Asia (in terms of history, heritage, natural resources, trade routes, key geographic location, culture, religion, potential) is so divided when we think about it?

The only remotely functioning and real economic, political, military etc. union that I can think of is the GCC and that too mainly because it is a monarchic political club (see Yemen and Iraq for instance), the Arab League, while existing longer than the UN (!), has not really created/done much for the Arab world, and outside of that there is not much or any legitimate regional unions.

There is the ASEAN in South East Asia, I am not too familiar with this organization, but at least it appears to be somewhat functioning.

When will this change for the better? I could in fact make this topic about the entire Muslim world, not only West Asia + Pakistan as such.

Is the current status quo not quite surreal in terms of lack of genuine integration and cooperation? Does the average Pakistani, Arab, Turk, Iranian etc. even know how much their respective nations/peoples are losing on this status quo in terms of economy, peace, people to people relations, potential?

Surely I cannot be the only one with such feelings whenever I see certain discussions online?

It's cool, great idea but please don't include us

Rest I don't care, but prefer this union over no union

 

[Corruptistan]

It's cool, great idea but please don't include us

You prefer Pakistan to be some kind of utopian isolated island? Breaking news, Pakistan is closely tied to our neighboring geography that happens to be majority Muslim, religiously, culturally, historically, linguistically, geographically, economically (Pakistani diaspora + remittances).

It is in Pakistan's economic interests to develop peaceful and stable ties with Afghanistan, Iran, Arab world, Central Asia etc.

Even more so when the only other regional alternative is India.

This thread is not about some Ummah utopia under Islamic rule, rather it is about closer political and economic integration within Western Asia, wider Muslim world, and why other regions of the world, are capable of leaving aside their differences and rivalries, while countries of this region of the world, are incapable of doing it, to their own detriment.

Of course Pakistan needs to fix itself first, but that is besides the overall points of this thread and my musings.

Notice, I am not ruling out Pakistan-India reaprochement here and taking advantage of India as a neighbor from an economic perspective.

Those two are not mutually exclusive.