ISLAMABAD, Dec 28 (APP): The experts at a roundtable discussion on Pakistan’s ties with Central Asian Republics (CARs) and Azerbaijan on Thursday called for a better strategy and efforts for improved and galvanized relationship with CARs and Azerbaijan amid growing economic significance of the region.

The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted a roundtable discussion on “Pakistan’s Relations with Central Asia and Azerbaijan: Imperatives of Regional Connectivity” to initiate discourse on workable solutions to further improve cooperation with the CARs.

ISSI Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his welcome remarks, said the country’s relationships with the Central Asian region were important and Pakistan was the first country to recognize CARs’ states and expanded its cooperation expanded in multiple domains.

Pakistan, he said, was part of many important regional forums, including Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). “It also has multifaceted relationships in the areas of trade, investment, security and defence, connectivity and other.”

He underlined the need for deepening of hard and soft connectivity with CARs and Azerbaijan as Pakistan provided the shortest route to the landlocked Central Asian countries which was a shared agenda giving a win-win situation for both sides.

Senior Fellow (Central Asia and Eurasia), East West Institute, Brussels, Dr. Najam Abbas, in his keynote address, said the country needed to line up its policy discourse to set priority areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation with the Central Asia region as the world after the pandemic and Ukraine-Russia Crisis was looking for alternate supply chains and trade routes to avert any blockade.

As per the global freight projections by 2050, he said, the potential of increased cooperation in the Asia region in terms of freight demanded fulfillment of certain conditions as the world was looking for alternates in the connectivity areas that were halted or faced blockade.

“The Europe, South Caucuses, China and CARs can be connected through Pakistan as the countries like Azerbaijan and Iran that are not well connected due to certain reasons and sanctions can get recovery,” he underlined.

Dr Najam said that Pakistan should focus on five priorities for next five years namely bolstering development in border regions, promote knowledge and skill transfers, forge partnerships, support local transport entities, and cultivate capacity for diversification ensuring growth.

“The discourse should shift from distance to deliverables on the above priorities,” he added.

Director Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar, Professor Shabir Ahmad Khan said the world was moving towards group cooperation with enhanced regional cooperation, whereas Pakistan was a multi-regional country that made it a transitional hub.

He added that CARs were the past and the future of Pakistan as the middle corridor emanating from China entering into CARs had gained attention after sanctions on Russia.

Pakistan-Afghanistan-CARs Route had multiple connectivity routes, whereas the problem was unsettled relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said, adding, “Pakistan’s strategic goals in Afghanistan should be translated into economic dividends otherwise it will become a liability.”

He added that Afghanistan’s ancient role of a bridge between CARs and the world should be revived that would help compliment the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through the CARs, Afghanistan and Pakistan economic connectivity corridors.

Farhat Asif from the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies provided a detailed overview of her institute’s efforts that garnered diplomatic cooperation through effective lobbying concerted efforts for trust building and bilateral cooperation.

She underlined that the Pakistani exports through Afghanistan to Dushanbe, and other revealed problems as Afghanistan was a problematic country as the trade transaction mechanisms did not exist.

She noted that the traders from Punjab and Sindh were not interested to send their exports to CARs through Afghanistan whereas the Afghan were buying Pakistani goods and labelling them as theirs and sending it to CARs.

“There is a lack of information, skills and joint forums that needs to be addressed whereas the trade leaders should also be convened to such forums for healthy and informed discourse as there can no progress on it without them,” she added.

Khalid Khan founder Central Asian Wireless Forum said the IT market was of $10 trillion in the world and its expanding globally and this industry demanded people equipped with skills.

He added that Pakistan’s internet connectivity status was sufficient to start trade in the sector.

“Azerbaijan is producing 3000 plus IT skilled human resource and Pakistan is producing over 30,000 IT skilled persons a year,” he added.

Khan said the trade between Pakistan and CARs was mostly of chemicals and natural resources, whereas infrastructure was not important but rather to improve cooperation and information through enhanced trade interaction.

Reema Shaukat, Communication Expert from IRS said Pakistan, Azerbaijan, CARs had cultural and religious affinity. However, the country’s bilateral trade with Azerbaijan was very low which had great potential for sports goods, leather products, agriculture products and others.

She mentioned that a Gulab Jamun Truck was exported to CARs which was a great success but failed to bag media’s attention in the country.

“Azerbaijan lacked any direct access to sea and it can benefit from Pakistan, whereas both countries can improve public diplomacy, media trainings, film showcasing, youth opportunities for entrepreneurship etc. and participation of Pakistan experts at other events like COP-29 in Azerbaijan,” she added.