Pakistan, Aug. 12 -- Time is a stern teacher of nations. It changes the character of alliances, reshapes national priorities and repeatedly reminds states that geography is destiny only when political wisdom knows how to use it. Countries may differ in ideology, resources and ambitions, yet history repeatedly brings them to the same conclusion; in an uncertain world, security and prosperity are rarely achieved in isolation.

Sixty-two years ago, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey confronted a similar question. In July 1964, the three regional members of the Central Treaty Organisation established the Regional Cooperation for Development, or RCD, through the Istanbul Agreement. Unlike CENTO, the RCD was not conceived as a military alliance. Its pri...