South Asia needs trade corridor: Aleem Khan

Islamabad:Pakistan has decided to host a 2-Day Regional Transport Ministerial Conference in October 2025 which will bring together key regional stakeholders. China, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Central Asian States will be invited to attend this summit, says a press release.

This was disclosed by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan while chairing a high-level consultative meeting in Islamabad, here today. Federal Minister stated that countries such as Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iran will also be invited to attend this Conference. The aim is to strengthen both Business-to-Business and Government-to-Government connectivity across South Asian and Central Asian countries, he added. Highlighting the strategic importance of access to warm waters for Central Asian Countries, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan emphasized that the expansion of rail, road and air linkages will be a key theme of the Conference. He directed that the objectives of the regional gathering should be clearly defined, with safety and security treated as top priorities. Furthermore, Abdul Aleem Khan instructed that international development partners such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other relevant institutions be invited to participate, as well. Domestic stakeholders including Pakistan Railways, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other concerned departments will also be on boarded for this initiative. Federal Minister directed the formation of an Administrative Committee to ensure seamless organization of the summit. He confirmed that the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan will lead the Conference, underlining the importance of maximizing its outcomes. He further stated that a core objective of the event is to offer countries such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian Republics access to Pakistan’s ports in Gwadar and Karachi. This initiative is expected to significantly boost regional investment, trade and strategic partnerships.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant departments participated in the consultative meeting and briefed on various aspects of the event. Abdul Aleem Khan also directed the inclusion of road safety on the official Conference agenda. It was also decided that the Ministries of Commerce, Tourism, and Maritime Affairs will organize an exhibition in Islamabad alongside the Conference to showcase Pakistan’s regional transport potential.