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ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has proposed 10,000 joint PhD scholarships in artificial intelligence, engineering and emerging sciences at China’s top universities under CPEC Phase-II, citing the need to equip Pakistan’s youth for knowledge-driven growth.
Briefing media after the 14th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of CPEC, televised from Beijing on Saturday, he said “We have proposed that in the next 10 years, 10,000 Pakistani students be trained in China’s top 50 universities in artificial intelligence, emerging sciences, engineering and new technologies, so that Pakistan can build a strong technology and innovation-based economy.”
Ahsan stressed that equipping youth with advanced research skills would enable them to pioneer the transformation of Pakistan into a $3 trillion economy by 2047. “The next two decades belong to the youth of Pakistan, and we are committed to invest in their education and skills so they can lead the country’s economic transformation,” he remarked.
He said the proposed “knowledge corridor” with China would help establish top-quality human resources to build the economy of the future.
In parallel, the minister said Pakistan also planned to expand cooperation with China in vocational and technical education, drawing on China’s experience to train the country’s workforce in modern and advanced technologies for employment opportunities.
Calling exports the “engine of growth,” Iqbal said Pakistan’s weak performance in the sector needed urgent improvement. “Out of China’s $2 trillion imports, Pakistan’s share is only $3 billion. We hope to expand this by seeking the same tariff treatment for Pakistani products that ASEAN countries enjoy,” he added.
Both sides also discussed setting up joint labs in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, launching a CPEC Future Skills program in IT, robotics, fintech, and biotechnology.
The minister said the second phase of the landmark initiative would be closely aligned with Pakistan’s “5Es Framework” under the Uraan Pakistan roadmap, which aims to make the country a $1 trillion economy by 2035. The framework focuses on exports, e-Pakistan (digital transformation), environment and climate resilience, energy, and equity and empowerment.
The minister said Phase-II would revolve around five new corridors: growth, livelihood, innovation, green energy, and regional connectivity.
“The corridor of growth will inject momentum into Pakistan’s economy by creating jobs and enhancing export potential,” he explained. “The livelihood corridor is designed to uplift backward areas and promote inclusive socio-economic development. The innovation corridor will transform Pakistan into a knowledge-driven economy by building a digital Silk Route with China and establishing innovation hubs.”
Iqbal said the green energy corridor was critical as Pakistan faced recurring climate disasters, including floods. “We will seek Chinese cooperation in developing a national plan for climate resilience and building a sustainable green economy,” he noted. The fifth corridor, focused on regional integration, aims to establish multi-modal transport links connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Highlighting the people-centric nature of the roadmap, he said youth would be at the center of the transformation in CPEC Phase-II.
The minister said cooperation would also expand in vocational and technical education to train Pakistani youth in modern technologies for employment. He emphasized that the fruits of development must reach farmers, workers, and small entrepreneurs, while also benefiting from China’s experience in poverty alleviation. Pakistan has proposed transforming one backward district from each province into a model of socio-economic development with Chinese assistance.
On infrastructure, Iqbal announced immediate work on the Karakoram Highway Phase-II realignment, which would be submerged due to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam by 2028. He also said Pakistan and China would work on a mineral corridor in Balochistan linking Gwadar Port with northern mineral resources, while a group would be set up to develop multi-modal transport connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
We are moving from government-to-government to business-to-business cooperation, and dedicated desks have been established to facilitate Chinese enterprises,” he said.
Iqbal reassured that Pakistan remained fully committed to the safety of Chinese nationals. “Chinese citizens in Pakistan are our family. We will protect them with the same care as our own people. Isolated incidents are the work of foreign-sponsored elements who want to disrupt our cooperation, but together we will defeat such designs,” he affirmed.
Describing Pakistan-China ties as “unbreakable and solid like iron,” the minister said the partnership was based on trust and mutual respect. He hoped CPEC Phase-II would deliver transformational impact by modernizing agriculture, expanding industrial cooperation, creating technology partnerships, and deepening people-to-people exchanges through education, culture, and regional connectivity.
“The first decade of CPEC transformed Pakistan’s infrastructure. The next decade will transform the lives of our people,” Iqbal concluded, while appreciating President Xi Jinping’s vision of shared prosperity and his goodwill towards Pakistan.