Pakistan’s first Multimodal Logistics Conference kicks off

Islamabad: To initiate a public policy debate on multimodal logistics and freight services focusing their pivotal role in national trade growth, President inaugurated Pakistan’s first-ever multimodal logistics conference “Trade Growth of Pakistan through Multimodal Logistics” here at Serena Hotel.

The one-day conference featured interactive sessions and insightful debates on a diverse range of topics focusing national industry of multimodal and freight network.

The conference was attended by federal ministers, federal secretaries of different ministries/divisions, senior government officials, representatives of renowned logistics organizations along with stakeholders and members of business community.

Representatives of the institutions shed light on the institutional role in different relevant sectors. The conference was organized by Manzil Pakistan, a Karachi based think tank in collaboration with All Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA) while U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT), JS Bank and Faysal Bank Ltd were the event partners.

The initiative to organize the first Multimodal Logistics Conference was led by Mr. Aasim A. Siddiqui, Vice Chairman of Manzil Pakistan.

Over the last 25 years, Aasim Siddiqui has developed and financed various transport and logistics projects in Pakistan with a diverse portfolio in the shipping, logistics and cargo handling industry. About this initiative, Siddiqui highlighted that Pakistan eagerly needs a thematic change and complete remodeling to integrate the multimodal logistics scenario in its stepping forward economy. Though, trade and multimodal logistics are two different sectors, but taken as lifeline for each one’.

He further emphasized that despite having a National Freight and Logistics Policy (NFLP) in place, the sector was still fragmented and policies in relation to its integration requires considerable deliberation by public authorities, therefore, Manzil Pakistan has taken the lead to organize this conference to bring all stakeholders both from the private sector and public authorities to initiate a public policy debate to benefit the country.

Keeping in view the importance of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an exclusive session “CPEC, Regional Connectivity for Trade & Domestic Commerce” was scheduled which was addressed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CPEC Authority Khalid Mansoor.

This session encompassed the importance of regional connectivity and the future of domestic commerce and foreign investments in Pakistan were discussed.