Transformational CPEC is the ideal connectivity project: FM Qureshi

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the transformational China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – a hallmark of Pakistan’s all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China – is the ideal connectivity project.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Islamabad Conclave on ‘Peace and Prosperity in South Asia’ here at the Institute of Strategic Studies, FM Qureshi mentioned that Pakistan offered the shortest route to international seas for the western parts of China and the Central Asian Republics, through the Karachi and Gwadar ports.

“Besides contributing to Pakistan’s economic transformation, CPEC is poised to revolutionize regional connectivity,” he added.

Regional cooperation, he maintained, was vital for South Asia to prosper. “SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) needs to be revitalised by freeing it from narrow political agendas. Unfortunately, intra-regional trade remains low and concrete progress is required to overcome trade barriers, infrastructural deficits, and connectivity constraints,” he underlined.

Like many other countries, he emphasized, Pakistan was challenged by several non-traditional security issues including, climate change, food, energy, and water crisis, population bulge, unbridled urbanization as well as poverty exacerbated by structural issues of the economy.

“The most pressing area of concern is Climate Change and its direct impact on food and water security. (Prime Minister) Imran Khan’s government recognizes the gravity of this threat to national security and is making efforts to mitigate its effects,” he underscored.

The FM contended that pursuing enhanced cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure development, energy security, agriculture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges were the top priorities for the Pakistani government.

“Our primary interest is in seeking a peaceful and stable international order that takes everyone on board. Pakistan will remain committed to peaceful co-existence, cooperative multilateralism, and consensus-driven outcomes,” he pledged.

The FM stated that Pakistan will always support an inclusive global order, for advancing the shared objectives of peace, progress and prosperity in the region and beyond. “We are living in an age of narratives. Forming and disseminating narratives of Pakistan is a national responsibility of all of us. To bridge the gap between policy-makers and academics and present consensus-driven narratives, forums such as Islamabad Conclave can play an important role,” he stressed.