CPEC has transformed regional economic and connectivity landscape: PM Shehbaz Sharif
Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the multi-billion-dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had transformed the economic and connectivity landscape of the region.
“Pakistan’s first priority at the moment is to revive rapid and equitable economy. The multi-billion dollar project of CPEC has transformed the economic and connectivity landscape of the region,” he maintained during his address to the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.
He also invited the CICA member states to consider benefiting from the trade, investment and business opportunities offered by Pakistan.
Coming to Afghanistan, the prime minister contended that a prosperous and stable Afghanistan was not only in the interest of Pakistan but also for the international community.
He underscored that the four decades of conflict not only took a heavy toll on the country but also upon its neighbouring Pakistan.
He called for pooling resources among the regional countries to address the common challenges in the interest of peace and progress.
On the recent floods in Pakistan, the prime minister pointed out that the country was bearing the brunt of climate change despite its less than one percent carbon omissions.
He thanked the countries that stepped forward in extending assistance to Pakistan to carry out the relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas.
He also termed encouraging the upscale US $ 816 million flash appeal by the United Nations launched to meet the daunting challenge of heavy losses incurred by the flash floods.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that Pakistan was “determined and committed” to emerge stronger after the flood disaster.
“Pakistan, with the support of its people and the friendly countries, will come out of this problem,” he said.
He also elaborated the significance of CICA as a unique forum for promoting interaction, understanding, and collaboration among the countries across Asia.
