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ISLAMABAD, Jun 19 (APP):Pakistan marked a historic milestone on Thursday with the official launch of its national engagement with the Global Development Initiative (GDI), becoming the first country to anchor the initiative within its supreme legislative institution.
The event, titled “Global Development Initiative in Pakistan: A Parliamentary Roadmap for Shared Prosperity,” that brought together parliamentarians, diplomats, academics, youth leaders, and civil society to celebrate the beginning of a transformative cooperation framework.
Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, emphasized in her keynote address that Pakistan views the GDI not merely as an international framework, but as an integral part of its national development strategy, driven by equity, public ownership, and democratic legitimacy.
“This is not just a ceremonial launch,” she said. “It is the manifestation of a vision I have long nurtured—as a legislator, a development advocate, and a champion of Pakistan-China parliamentary diplomacy. GDI, for us, is not foreign—it is familiar, actionable, and urgently needed.”
Recalling the roots of the initiative, Alam highlighted President Xi Jinping’s 2021 speech at the United Nations General Assembly, in which he called for development to become a universal right rather than a selective privilege. She noted how this message deeply resonated in the Global South, particularly for countries like Pakistan that carry both development challenges and democratic aspirations.
Alam, also the Convener of the Pakistan-China Parliamentary Friendship Group, shared that the roadmap was designed after extensive consultations with youth leaders, civil society, experts, and lawmakers. The outcome, she noted, made it clear: the success of GDI in Pakistan must be anchored in Parliament, where policies are debated, reforms are legislated, and accountability is upheld.
The newly launched national program aims to integrate the GDI into five core pillars:
Legislative mainstreaming through policy dialogues, Public awareness campaigns, Youth and academic engagement via GDI university research hubs, Framing GDI as a human security initiative, Strengthening parliamentary cooperation with China’s National People’s Congress (NPC)
The ceremony also commemorated 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, with Alam declaring the relationship a “model of solidarity for the Global South.” She underscored landmark projects like CPEC and the solar-powered Parliament, inaugurated by President Xi and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as tangible examples of how China has uplifted Pakistan’s institutions.
“Today, that friendship evolves from infrastructure to ideas, from roads to rights,” she said. “The GDI represents the next phase of that evolution, one that emphasizes inclusion, sustainability, and institutional strengthening.”
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who served as Chief Guest, congratulated Romina Khurshid Alam for her visionary leadership in conceptualizing and operationalizing the GDI parliamentary program.
“Parliaments are not passive in development—they are powerful enablers,” he said. “And through this initiative, we are embedding development in policy, participation, and public dialogue.”
The Minister also emphasized the strategic role of Gwadar Port under the CPEC framework and how GDI could further enhance port connectivity, coastal community development, and regional integration.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Jiang Zaidong, praised Pakistan’s Parliament for leading the global charge in institutionalizing the GDI, calling it the world’s first GDI Group within a national legislature.
He reaffirmed China’s commitment to the Global South, noting that more than 100 countries and 20 international organizations have already joined the GDI network. He also highlighted the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and China’s practical contributions to over 1,100 GDI-linked projects, including 600 already underway.
“Pakistan’s leadership in establishing a GDI Parliamentary Group provides a replicable model for developing countries,” he said. “Together, we are building a new momentum for international cooperation.”
The event concluded with the launch of the official Pakistan-China Parliamentary Development Cooperation, symbolizing institutional partnership between Pakistan’s National Assembly and the Chinese NPC.
All stakeholders affirmed that the GDI Curtain Raiser was not just a ceremonial event but the beginning of a transformative chapter in Pakistan-China relations and in global development diplomacy led by the Global South.
“Let today be remembered as the day Pakistan did not just endorse GDI,” Ms. Alam concluded. “We owned it, envisioned it, and placed it at the heart of our democracy.”
The event was jointly organized by Sustainability First, a leading policy and development engagement platform, and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, in collaboration with the Pakistan-China Parliamentary Friendship Group. Their partnership ensured the successful execution of this milestone initiative, bringing together diverse stakeholders from across government, civil society, and academia.