ISLAMABAD, Sep 05 (APP): Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday chaired a meeting of the working group on multi-modal connectivity and discussed the strategy to improve Pakistan’s trade infrastructure and logistics for achieving sustainable economic growth.
Among others, the meeting was attended by senior transport sector officials, trade representatives and other key stakeholders to discuss ways and means to improve connectivity within Pakistan and with neighboring countries.
During the meeting, the minister emphasized the strategic importance of Pakistan’s transport network in connecting Central Asia, Middle East, China and South Asia.
He highlighted that this connectivity was very important to position Pakistan as a major trading hub.
Referring to the investments being made under the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan has the potential to become an important trade route between China and the wider region, including Europe.
He said it was the need of the hour to make the best use of the investments made under CPEC and the infrastructure built within the country.
The minister said cost and effective connectivity were the key elements in global supply chain and “we have to ensure that connectivity in Pakistan is not only available but also effective.”
He said that connectivity existed between many countries, but due to hurdles in customs clearance it could not be fully exploited.
Ahsan Iqbal said though Pakistan has made significant progress in its transport sector, but needed removing the barriers to connectivity so that Pakistan could make the best use of its strategic position.
Accordingly, he directed the working group to conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis of the existing supply chain and identify flaws that needed to be addressed.
He referred to previous studies conducted by the Asian Development Bank and other institutions that identified operational challenges.
Ahsan Iqbal also directed to compare the costs associated with different transport routes, adding “If Pakistan completes the connectivity corridors in the next ten years, Pakistan’s economy can grow significantly.”
He said the countries that achieved development, had planned for ten to twenty years ahead.
But unfortunately, he said in Pakistan every project was subjected to political instability, and hoped that the principles of peace, political stability and continuity of policies would be implemented in the country now.
He expressed confidence that through the implementation of policies, Pakistan would achieve a prominent position in global trade.
For the success of the multi-modal connectivity project, Ahsan Iqbal said, it would be necessary to implement the recommendations and suggestions given by the groups in the next stages.
The planning minister said the government would give full attention to the improvement of infrastructure, effective connectivity and customs operations to be developed on modern lines so that not only the internal trade links of the country were stable but also Pakistan emerged as a strong trade center at the global level.
In the upcoming meeting, he said practical steps would be drawn up in the light of the reports and homework of the groups so that the project could be completed on time and the obstacles in the way of economic development were removed.