Chairman Senate terms CPEC a harbinger of regional connectivity

ISLAMABAD – Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would play a vital role in enhancing connectivity among Central Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Northern Africa and Europe.

He said that Pakistan was committed to getting access and bringing economic movement on fast track with Central Asia.

He was addressing an international conference titled ‘Re-imagining the Silk Road: Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan in the Age of Connectivity’ through video link. The event was held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Sanjrani said that Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan take the bilateral relations between each other very important. He said that the conference provided an opportunity to discuss important bilateral matters. He also said that both countries have brotherly relations with each other but the volume of trade between the two was low. He urged the need to increase this trade volume.

Stressing the need to increase bilateral and economic relations between the two countries, the chairman Senate said that it was the age of connectivity and they should get benefit of connectivity opportunities to take forward the process of progress and development. He said that Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides an opportunity to Central Asian countries to get befit of economic corridor. He said that CPEC has provided new opportunities to increase connectivity among the countries of the region and the project has emerged as a game changer for the area. “More than 3 billion people would get befit of the project,” he said.

Chairman Senate argued that Pakistan was a peaceful country and has given numerous sacrifices to attain peace. “Pakistan understands the importance of peace, development and prosperity in the region,” he said adding that it has supported on-going Afghan peace process at every level. “Peace is importance to increase connectivity and cooperation in the region,” he said.

Sanjrani said that Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan would have to make joint efforts for economic development under the CPEC.

The foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan, and members of the parliament also participated in the conference besides others.