CPEC is an excellent example of cooperation: Pakistani President
President Dr Arif Alvi addressing the inaugural session of the 2nd General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation Organization at Islamabad, on 01-06-2021.
Islamabad: Pakistani President Dr Arif Alvi has said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was an excellent example of cooperation which will link the Central Asian States with the seas.
Addressing the inaugural session of the General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Islamabad, he called upon the member countries of ECO to forge a firm partnership to address the issues faced by them and achieve the goals of development.
“CPEC is an excellent example of cooperation which will link the Central Asian States with the seas. We must forge a partnership for development,” he said.
The President said the ECO countries should further improve their relations through trade, tourism and economic linkages. President Alvi said the ECO countries share common history and culture and have strong trade links.
He said Pakistan desires peace and stability in Afghanistan. He said negotiated settlement of the conflict is in the interest of Afghanistan and the region.
The President said this Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly was a manifestation of amity, unity and harmony amongst the ECO countries.
In his speech at the conference, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser welcomed the heads of Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (PAECO) countries in Pakistan and emphasized the need for greater cooperation amongst the members countries to get regional development and prominent place in world politics.
The Speaker said the ECO countries were sole route for international trade between West and East. “The construction of railways track from China to Pakistan under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would help economic development of entire Central Asian Region,” he added.
The Speaker said that multilateral cooperation was imperative for regional development and economic prosperity.
He remarked that ECO region with an area 8 million Square kilometer and vast population of 460 million has immense potential of mutual cooperation in the spheres of trade and economy.
Speaker Asad Qaiser said that 10 members of ECO could capitalize their potential by Parliamentary cooperation especially in the context of the negatives of COVID-19 Pandemic.
He said that Parliament of Pakistan successfully organized a seminar to explore the opportunities to promote trade between Pak-Afghan in 2020 and multiple initiatives has been taken under the Executive committee Pak-Afghan parliamentary Friendship Group.
Mir Rehman Rahmani ,Speaker of the Wolsi Jirga of Afghanistan, Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Mili Majlis of Azerbaijan, Talant Mamytov, Speaker of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyz Republic, Zokirzoda Mahmodthohir ,Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli, Republic of Tajikstan, Mustafa Sentop ,Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Ismoilov Nurdinjoin, Speaker of the Majlis Oli of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Mynbay Darkhan as Heads of the delegation of the House of Representatives of Kazakhstan also addressed the conference .
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, Gulshat Mammedova Chairperson of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and Dr Hadi Soleimanpour Secretary General of ECO would virtually address the conference on Wednesday.
