BRI’s Road Transport Corridor to boost regional trade: PCJCCI chief

Lahore: The collaboration between Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey in the Road Transport Corridor, aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is set to bring about a significant transformation in enhancing regional trade among these four nations.

Moazzam Ghurki, the President of Pakistan-China Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), conveyed these thoughts during a think-tank meeting on the trilateral trade relationship between Pakistan, Turkey, and China, held on Monday afternoon.

He highlighted that much like China, Turkey had maintained a steadfast friendship with Pakistan, which has now evolved into a stronger international trade connection due to projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and BRI.

Moazzam Ghurki contended that these initiatives had opened up fresh opportunities for both Turkey and Pakistan.

He noted that Turkey’s exports to China could be facilitated through Pakistan, with the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Road Transport Corridor Project successfully enabling commercial cargo movement between Pakistan, Turkey, and even extending to Chinese markets.

Fang Yulong, the Senior Vice President of PCJCCI, in his speech, emphasized the positive trade ties between the two countries. Turkish investments in Pakistan have surged by more than US $1 billion, and a Strategic Economic Framework agreement has been signed, encompassing cooperation in diverse areas such as science, technology, defense, tourism, education, and health.

Yulong underlined PCJCCI’s commitment to bolster Chinese investments in this domain, fostering a sustainable economic partnership among the three friendly nations.

Hamza Khalid, Vice President of the joint chamber, urged Pakistan to take additional measures to prioritize the crucial bilateral relationship with Turkey. Khalid highlighted that completing ongoing projects such as the Trans-Afghan Railway, CASA-1000, and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline with Turkey could significantly enhance Pakistan’s connectivity with Western Asia and Europe. He suggested aligning these endeavors with China’s BRI project.

Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General of PCJCCI, shared his perspective by stating that Pakistan’s economic challenges were no longer confined to domestic matters and they had evolved into foreign policy issues.

Recognising Turkey’s close alliance, he underscored that exploring economic dimensions within the bilateral relationship is logical.