Copyright pakobserver
PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan stands as a “unique tri-junction” of economic corridors linking China, Central Asia and the broader Middle East, serving as a vital connector of markets and people while opening new avenues for trade and energy cooperation. Addressing the concluding session of the two-day Regional Transport Ministers Conference — themed “Regional Connectivity: Opportunities for the Region”, he said Pakistan’s geography, linking the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, placed it at the confluence of China, the Eurasian land bridge and the Middle East. He pointed out that the country’s long coastline made Gwadar and Karachi ports key transit points on the maritime Silk Road. There is no denying the fact that the country has a unique position to become a hub of regional trade and investment but the potential remains a paper dream in the absence of practical measures to benefit from its ideal location. Strategists and experts concur that Gwadar Port can help realize this dream but unfortunately we have not been able to make it properly operational due to lack of necessary facilities and connectivity. As the Prime Minister himself pointed out, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) also offered immense opportunities to move towards this cherished goal but this historic initiative too has not kept its original momentum. There are also several other projects like TAPI and IP gas lines, CASA-1000 and rail and road plans that remain unimplemented for decades due to various factors including the volatile situation in Afghanistan. Infrastructure development is also an important factor and luckily the PML(N) Government has a passion for the purpose but other issues hindering realization of this dream must also receive due attention.
