TOKYO, Japan: The Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is not a bilateral project but it is an inclusive project where major economies from European Union, Middle East, America and Asia are also showing their interest to join in.
In separate meetings with various distinguished personalities and media interaction in Tokyo, the minister said that the CPEC project has already taken off and bears immense potential for North-South and East-West connectivity of three billion strong regions of South Asia, China and Central Asia.
The minister also invited Japan to take advantage of this opportunity and encouraged Japanese corporations to take advantage of projects in transport infrastructure and power generation on Independent Power Producers model.
When asked by Japanese media about the situation prevalent at Line of Control (LoC), the minister reiterated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s vision of “Peaceful Neighbourhood”. He said that for development of people to take place peace in South Asia is a must.
While discussing situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir, he said that the excesses committed by Indian Security Forces have resulted in death and injury to thousands of innocent Kashmiris. He stressed that every man has the right to vote and Kashmiris have been promised this right by the international community under United Nations Security Council Resolutions and should be granted this right like people of Timor Leste and South Sudan before them. He said that this will thoroughly discredit the narrative peddled by terrorists that the world doesn’t care when it comes to the blood of Muslims.
Ahsan Iqbal further said that economic indicators of Pakistan have improved considerably over the last three years while the foreign exchange reserves have more than doubled from US$10 billion to US$23 billion and inflation remained lowest in South Asia.
The federal minister said that the government was able to bring down budget deficit to 4.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), Morgan Stanley declared Pakistan as one of the promising emerging markets globally while Karachi Stock Exchange has been rated as one of the top three stock exchanges of Asia.
Iqbal also stressed Pakistan’s demographic dividend as over 2/3rd of its 200 million population is under 25 years of age.
The minister shunned off any apprehensions relating to security concerns about Pakistan and informed of sustainable successes in Security Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
The federal minister was in in Tokyo on a two-day visit to participate in the World Marketing Summit held from October 11-12, 2016.
On the margins of the summit, the minister also held meetings with Secretary General of Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Dr. Kanoktanaporn, Governor of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Akira Kondoh, Chairman Japan-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship League (JPPFL) Sheishiro ETO, Japanese Business Corporations of global reach and also gave interview to the largest English weekly in Japan.
