CPEC’s Gwadar Port a game changer for many countries: Senate Chairman

Islamabad: Chairman Senate of Pakistan Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s Gwadar Port project was a game changer for many countries around the world.

In a meeting with Speaker of the legislative Assembly of Oily Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Nurdinjan Ismailov, who called on him here, the Senate Chairman highlighted the importance of the Gwadar Port, said an official statement.

The Chairman Senate observed that Gwadar Port “would prove to be a game-changer not only for Pakistan but also for many countries of the world,” added the statement.

He said: “It (Gwadar) would be the shortest way to connect the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa, which will boost investment and trade in the region.”

Sanjrani said the Trans-Afghan Railway Line Project, agreed between Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan earlier this year, would transform the geo-economic dynamics of the entire Central Asian region.

The project would be the first step in linking the Central Asian transport network with Pakistani seaports of Gwadar, Karachi and Bin Qasim, he said.

The two dignitaries exchanged views on bilateral, regional, and international issues. They also reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with a particular focus on political, trade, security and defense, educational, and cultural domains.

The Chairman underlined that Pakistan and Uzbekistan had long cherished cordial bilateral relations in promoting all-round cooperation in different areas including trade, commerce, and culture.

Referring to historic, cultural, and commercial ties, Sanjrani remarked that Pakistan and Uzbekistan were natural partners in promoting regional prosperity and stability.

“Pakistan highly values its fraternal relationship with Uzbekistan. Both the countries have strong historical, religious and cultural linkage”, Sadiq Sanjrani said.

The Chairman welcomed the Uzbek parliamentary delegation to attend the second General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation Organisation (PAECO), hosted by the National Assembly of Pakistan, being held from June 1-4 in Islamabad.

Sadiq Sanjrani underlined the importance of enhancing political and diplomatic linkages and taking steps to deepen mutual collaboration in the fields of education, culture, trade, economy, defense and tourism.

“Uzbekistan is an important country in Central Asia. Further enhancement of economic cooperation would provide an opportunity for the people and investors of the two countries to come closer”, he added.

While exchanging views on the Coronavirus situation, the Chairman said that effective strategies and security measures need to be taken to contain the epidemic at the earliest, so life roll back to normality.

The two also discussed the overall security situation in the region, important global and regional matters of mutual interest, and agreed to continue supporting each other at all international and regional forums, including the United Nations (UN), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

Both the dignitaries stressed promoting public and parliamentary ties between the two countries. He also urged the need for diversification of trade and commercial relations.

The two sides reiterated their determination to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges and enhance the upward trajectory of bilateral relations.