Ahsan calls for shorter trade routes to Central Asian States

May 15, 2025 (MLN): The establishment of the shortest possible trade linkages by road, rail, and sea with the Central Asian States has been strongly emphasized by Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

He made these remarks during the second consultative meeting of the Working Group on Multimodal Connectivity.

The meeting was chaired by the Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives and attended by key government stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministries of Commerce, Finance, Communications, Railways, Maritime Affairs, the Federal Board of Revenue, and the Aviation Division.

During the session, the working group reviewed existing trade corridors and proposed new routes aimed at enhancing regional connectivity.

The Planning Minister examined current corridors while discussions focused on developing road, rail, and maritime linkages.

Following directives from the previous meeting, the Ministry of Communications reviewed existing transport infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and policies along trade corridors.

Meanwhile, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Maritime Affairs, Railways, and Aviation assessed regional and international agreements that could support economic integration through new routes.

Highlighting Turkmenistan as a viable and shorter transit option, Minister Iqbal called for a comprehensive feasibility assessment of this route. He referred to his recent visit to Turkmenistan during the 1st ECO Ministerial Forum on Sustainable Development, noting the country’s strong interest in promoting regional connectivity.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs informed the Minister that Gwadar Port is operational, with 100 acres allocated for an off-dock terminal and the PC-1 under preparation for inclusion in the PSDP 2025–26.

Regarding Gwadar–Oman sea connectivity, the Minister requested progress updates to be shared in the next meeting, as per the press release.

Minister Iqbal also urged that priority projects in roads, railways, and maritime sectors be shortlisted in the first phase of the multimodal network by identifying missing regional links.

He instructed the Ministries of Railways, Communications, and Maritime Affairs to conduct thorough consultative reviews to recommend key infrastructure projects for phase one.

A summary presented by the Ministry of Communications showed that in 2023, Pakistan transported the highest number of trucks to Uzbekistan among Central Asian countries.

In 2024, Afghanistan led as the primary recipient of Pakistani trucked exports, while 2025 data indicates China, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan as the top destinations.

The Minister highlighted these trends as evidence of Pakistan’s increasing engagement with neighboring markets and the importance of efficient multimodal corridors to boost regional economic integration.

The Planning Minister stressed that the implementation of the multimodal connectivity network would help Pakistan diversify its trade portfolio and provide Central Asian countries access to South Asian markets through Gwadar, Karachi, and other routes.

This arrangement holds great potential to strengthen economic interdependence and regional connectivity.

Emphasizing the significance of trade with Central Asia, the Minister pointed out that the region’s collective GDP exceeds $207 billion and its population numbers 66 million offering a substantial market for Pakistani exports such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural goods.

He underlined that enhancing trade and investment ties could pave the way for a regional economic bloc benefiting all parties.

The working group recommended a cross-institutional study to evaluate the benefits and challenges of establishing international corridors and proposed an economic impact analysis of trade routes connecting Pakistan to Russia via Central Asia.

The meeting concluded with the Minister’s instruction to all involved ministries to finalize a comprehensive report on the proposed multimodal connectivity framework, including phase one priority projects, for submission to the Prime Minister.

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