By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday highlighted his country’s strategic position as a regional tri-junction linking China, Central Asia and the Middle East, saying it offered potential to boost trade, transport and digital cooperation across the region.
Sharif made the remarks during an address at a regional transport ministers’ conference in Islamabad that gathered officials from neighboring countries to discuss infrastructure, trade and cross-border cooperation. The summit takes place as Pakistan seeks to enhance trade and investment by positioning itself as a regional transit hub, with Islamabad pursuing several connectivity and energy projects in recent years. These include the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Framework Agreement, the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad corridor, and the CASA-1000 and TAP-500 electricity transmission projects.
Sharif said his government had been advancing these initiatives to improve regional links, adding that they presented a “great opportunity” to transform cross-border trade. “I am confident that these mega projects would synergize the economic strength of regional countries and usher in a new era of enhanced trade, economic cooperation and energy collaboration in the region, and of course, beyond,” he said.
The prime minister stressed Pakistan’s long coastline, which positions its ports as vital transit points on the Maritime Silk Road, the maritime arm of the ancient Silk Road connecting Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian Peninsula, Africa and Europe. “Our geography links the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf, traversing the majestic Karakoram and Himalayan [mountain] range and flowing through the timeless Indus Valley,” Sharif said. “We are at the confluence of China, the Eurasian land bridge and the Middle East — a unique tri-junction of economic corridors connecting China, Central Asia and the broader Middle East.”
He reiterated the point on geography, saying: “Our geography links the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and the Persian gulf to the majestic Karakoram and Himalayan range, flowing through the timeless Indus Valley. “Pakistan’s long coastline also makes our ports of Gwadar and in future many other potential ports on this coastline, including Karachi, as key transit points on the maritime Silk Road.”
Sharif recalled the “vision and foresight” of his brother, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, noting that one of his earliest moves in office was launching the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).”CPEC has been a transformative experience for this region, connecting markets [and] bringing people together across China, Central Asia, South Asia and Middle East,” he said. By connecting Gwadar port with China’s Xinjiang province, the corridor had “opened new routes for trade and energy cooperation, serving as a vital gateway of connectivity, opportunity and cultural exchanges.”
Sharif said that after the success of its first phase, Pakistan was now moving into the second phase of CPEC, or “CPEC 2.0,” which focuses on business-to-business partnerships and expanding investment opportunities for Chinese firms as well as companies from “friendly and brotherly countries” at the conference.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan has also been prioritizing digital trade platforms and e-port integration to enable seamless, paperless and efficient flows, aiming to improve efficiency, transparency and competitiveness. In the current digital era, Sharif said, connectivity extends beyond roads, railways and air links to include data, innovation, research and development, and technological integration. “Pakistan is investing in digital infrastructure to ensure that we are adequately equipped to catch up with the fourth industrial revolution around the globe.”
The prime minister noted that 60 percent of Pakistan’s population is aged between 15 and 30 years, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity. “It is a huge challenge but also brings huge opportunities,” he said. “If we’re able to provide ample opportunities to our youthful boys and girls in the fields of information technology, artificial intelligence [and] vocational training, that will be our greatest asset,” Sharif emphasized. “We don’t have black gold, but we have our youth as our greatest asset, which will become the harbinger of Pakistan’s speedy progress and prosperity in times to come.”
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