Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday proposed establishing five political corridors between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Pakistani political parties, including youth and leadership exchanges, to strengthen institutional cooperation and promote continuity in national development policies.
Ahsan proposes five political corridors between CPC, Pakistani parties
ISLAMABAD, Nov 02 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday proposed establishing five political corridors between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Pakistani political parties, including youth and leadership exchanges, to strengthen institutional cooperation and promote continuity in national development policies.
Addressing the Symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building here, he emphasised that Pakistan could learn valuable lessons from China’s development experience, particularly its focus on public service, organisational discipline, self-reform, effective governance and long-term national planning.
He said Pakistan had paid a heavy price for abandoning sound development policies with changes in government, stressing that national development plans must transcend electoral cycles to ensure sustainable progress.
The Pakistan Muslim League (N), he added, was committed to strengthening these principles within Pakistan’s democratic framework.
Recalling the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Ahsan Iqbal said its first phase had translated a memorandum into approximately $25 billion in investment, adding over 8,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, constructing 888 kilometres of highways and motorways, and generating around 236,000 direct and indirect jobs.
He reaffirmed that Pakistan-China friendship transcended political differences and changes in government, representing a national consensus rooted in the hearts of the people of both countries.
Referring to URAAN Pakistan and CPEC 2.0, the minister said the proposed five political corridors would complement the five economic corridors and cover strategic dialogue, governance and development learning, youth and leadership development, cultural connectivity, and regional peace and cooperation.
Particularly emphasising youth engagement, he proposed reciprocal exchanges between young leaders of the CPC and Pakistani political parties, beginning with an initial cohort in 2027, with structured learning opportunities at China’s Central Party School.
Congratulating Chinese President Xi Jinping and the CPC on the successful conclusion of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, he said the 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations provided an opportunity to open a new chapter of political and institutional cooperation.
He said the true measure of leadership lay not merely in achievements during one’s tenure but in the enduring institutions, policies and foundations it left for future generations.
