Pakistan can become connectivity hub

Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry's former president Iftikhar Ali Malik has emphasised that Pakistan has got the required potential to become a regional connectivity hub due to its strategic geographical location, which serves as a bridge among South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and China.

Talking to a delegation of industrialists on Wednesday, Malik said that the ideal position of Pakistan offered unique opportunities to facilitate trade, energy supply and cultural exchanges across a diverse set of regions.

"Leveraging this potential can transform the country into a key player in regional economic integration and development," he remarked. Malik highlighted that the deep-sea Gwadar Port could emerge as a critical logistics and shipping hub for the region, adding that the port's development, could facilitate the efficient movement of goods.

Such infrastructure can foster energy transit as Pakistan lies in proximity to the energy-rich Central Asian states and the energy-hungry economies of China and South Asia.