ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has emphasised that openness and inclusiveness “are indeed the need of the hour” for Asia as regional countries are more integrated and forging partnerships in diverse fields.
Abbasi made these remarks during an interview with the Chinese media in Islamabad ahead of his departure to China for the upcoming Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) that is themed “An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity”.
“He will lead a delegation comprising of ministers and senior officials to the forum,” reports Chinese official news agency Xinhua.
“With a dynamic mix of world leaders and thinkers and practitioners participating from all walks of life, I expect BFA to be successful in generating informed and candid discussion on a wide range of issues towards forging a common vision for the Asian century,” the PM told the reporters.
He highlighted the Belt and Road Initiative and its pilot project, a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying that the Belt and Road Initiative is a visionary one and has attracted many countries and organisations to the developing framework, and that CPEC could bring prosperity to the people of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.
“CPEC is not confined to just one or two projects, nor is it confined to cooperation in a few sectors. It encompasses a diversity of sectors including energy, communications, rail and road, infrastructure, social sector and livelihood projects,” said Abbasi.
“It has indeed been a game changer. In the initial phase, the corridor has done extremely well in helping the country overcome the energy shortage. A network of roads is under construction and the Gwadar port infrastructure is being developed. We are now looking forward to the next stage of CPEC development which is the setting up of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs).”
According to Abbasi, thousands of new jobs will be generated to thousands of skilled and unskilled labourers in Pakistan with the establishment of the SEZs and it will improve Pakistan’s economic indicators through expanding bilateral and regional trade, promoting economic integration and fostering economic development.
“Together with China, we look forward to making Pakistan a major contributor to ‘building a community of a shared future for mankind’ through CPEC,” the prime minister concluded.
