Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that Pakistan is actively engaging in multiple connectivity projects to initiate a new era of enhanced trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration in the region and beyond. He made these remarks during the concluding session of the two-day Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister emphasized that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) serves as a crucial gateway for connectivity, opportunity, and cultural exchanges. It has opened new avenues for energy and trade cooperation, transforming the region by bringing markets and people together across China, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East, by connecting the Gwadar port with China.

Shehbaz Sharif informed the delegates that following the success of the first phase, the CPEC initiative is now entering its second phase. This phase focuses on fostering business-to-business partnerships and strengthening investment opportunities for Chinese companies, Pakistan, and friendly nations.

The Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s strategic long coastline, which includes Gwadar, Karachi, and future ports, as key transit points on the maritime Silk Road. He also mentioned ongoing projects like the Trans-Afghan Railways and the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul connectivity, viewing them as significant opportunities to revolutionize cross-border trade and connectivity.

He further informed the audience about the potential benefits of enhanced air links to Central Asian Republics, along with frameworks and international road transport mechanisms, all of which could significantly boost trade, joint venture investment projects, and people-to-people contacts.

Shehbaz Sharif also mentioned Pakistan’s investments in digital infrastructure to align with the fourth industrial revolution. He noted that with sixty percent of the population being youth, Pakistan is working to provide opportunities in IT, AI, and vocational training, viewing the youth as the country’s greatest asset and a catalyst for its rapid progress and prosperity in the future.