Speaking at the Tianshan Forum in Urumqi, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted Gwadar Port and CPEC as the fastest trade link connecting Central Asia, China and global markets.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, has proposed the creation of a joint regional connectivity task force aimed at reducing Eurasian logistics and transport costs by up to 30% through harmonised transport routes, digitised customs systems, single-window trade mechanisms and coordinated border procedures.
Speaking at the inaugural Tianshan Forum on Central Asia Economic Cooperation in Urumqi on Tuesday, Iqbal said Pakistan offers the “most efficient and reliable connectivity hub” linking Central Asia, China, the Middle East and global markets.
He emphasised that Gwadar Port provides Central Asian states with the shortest, fastest and most cost-effective access to the sea, cutting maritime access time by up to 70%. The minister noted that Pakistan is shifting from a traditional geopolitical posture to a geoeconomic model centred on corridors connecting western China and Central Asia to the Arabian Sea.
The Tianshan Forum—launched this year in Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang region—seeks to enhance cross-border connectivity, logistics harmonisation and regional development. For Pakistan, the platform offers an opportunity to highlight the strategic role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and Gwadar Port in shaping a new Eurasian supply chain stretching from western China to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Iqbal unveiled four actionable, time-bound cooperation mechanisms to boost regional integration:
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Joint Task Force on Economic Connectivity and Trade Facilitation
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Co-Developed Regional Special Economic Zones
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Eurasian Energy and Green Transition Partnership
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Digital Silk Road and Future Skills Alliance focused on AI, cybersecurity and fintech.
He described CPEC as a “strategic development framework built on trust and long-lasting partnership,” citing key achievements:
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8,000 MW added to Pakistan’s power grid
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1,000+ kilometers of new motorways and highways
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Operationalisation of Gwadar Port
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Creation of a digital backbone supporting IT and artificial intelligence cooperation.
Linking Pakistan’s vision to China’s global initiatives, Iqbal said frameworks such as the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative offer “timely and people-centric solutions” for regional growth.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to deeper cooperation with China and Central Asian states, he concluded:
“If we choose connectivity over isolation, our region can emerge as the strategic economic center of the world.”
