Honorable Minister for Communications Mr. Abdul Aleem Khan,

Visiting Dignitaries & Participants, 

Worthy Cabinet Colleagues, 

UN Secretary General Special Envoy for Road Safety,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Excellencies, 

Distinguished Guests, 

Government Officials, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalam-o-Alaikum and Very Good Morning!

It is my great honour to welcome you all to Pakistan’s first Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference. At the outset, I wish to express my deep appreciation for the vision and leadership of our Prime Minister, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, whose unwavering emphasis on connectivity and collaboration continues to guide Pakistan’s pursuit of sustainable development, economic growth, and prosperity. I also commend the Honourable Minister for Communications Mr. Abdul Aleem Khan and his dedicated team for their tireless efforts in bringing this important conference to fruition.

Your presence here demonstrates the shared commitment of all participating nations to advance connectivity, foster collaboration, and achieve shared prosperity. We meet today at a time of global transition. Geoeconomic shifts, new trade routes, digital integration, and the move toward sustainability are reshaping trade and alliances. In this environment, regional connectivity is not optional—it is essential for stability, growth, and shared progress.

Regional cooperation directly impacts the lives of our people. Many countries in our region are already investing in forward-looking connectivity projects. Central Asia is emerging as a true Trans-Eurasian land bridge. Oil and gas pipelines cross deserts and mountains to link markets, while expanding road and rail networks demonstrate our collective commitment. These projects are not just infrastructure — they create shared opportunities. We can and must achieve more by aligning our efforts and working together. The whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Pakistan’s strategic location, connecting South Asia with Central Asia, the Middle East, and China, makes it a natural hub for regional connectivity.  Our vision is to build seamless linkages through road, rail, air, maritime, energy, and digital corridors—turning geography into opportunity.

Perhaps no project better symbolizes Pakistan’s vision of win-win cooperation through connectivity than the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. CPEC is now widely recognized as a catalyst for energy infrastructure development, transport connectivity, and enhanced trade across the whole of South and Central Asia. It embodies our commitment to building partnerships that deliver tangible benefits not just for Pakistan and China, but for the entire region.

Pakistan’s high-speed motorways and national highways form the backbone of regional and domestic connectivity, linking key border crossings to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar. Integrated border and maritime systems enable faster transit, reduce costs, and strengthen Pakistan’s role as a vital trade and transit corridor.

The Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (UAP) Railway Framework Agreement is a landmark initiative, creating a strategic rail link from Termiz to Pakistan via Kharlachi, opening new trade avenues. Similarly, the Istanbul–Tehran–Islamabad (ITI) Road and Rail Corridor offers a cost-effective land bridge across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia. These corridors hold immense promise for regional trade and beyond.

Pakistan is also a committed partner in the Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA 1000), transmitting surplus electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan remains committed to investing in energy projects such as Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP-500) Electricity Transmission Project, which will play a vital role in strengthening energy security, supporting economic growth, and linking our markets and resources for shared progress.

Other initiatives include e-visa facilities for citizens of 126 countries, particularly the Gulf States and Central Asia, and measures to overcome challenges to regional integration — such as improving banking access and enabling the smooth cross-border movement of people and goods across road, rail, and sea routes.

At the same time, we are expanding and modernizing ports and logistics infrastructure, and enhancing air connectivity to promote tourism, trade, and people-to-people exchanges. Physical and digital connectivity must advance together. Pakistan is prioritizing digital trade platforms and e-port integration to create seamless, paperless, and efficient trade flows — boosting efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness, and ensuring that our connectivity vision is future-ready.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the valuable support of our development partners, multilateral banks, UN agencies and regional organizations. Their technical expertise, financing, and capacity-building efforts have been instrumental in moving these projects forward.

Distinguished Guests,

The initiatives I have highlighted are more than just infrastructure developments. They are building blocks for regional integration, instruments for economic transformation, and enablers of peace and stability. They represent a future where goods, energy, data, and people move without any hindrances across borders; where our economies complement and where connectivity drives inclusive growth. The Ministers’ Roundtable later today will provide a valuable opportunity to identify shared priorities and agree on practical steps for collaboration.

Pakistan stands ready to coordinate transport plans, enhance cross-border facilitation, mobilize joint investments, and strengthen regional value chains. Every country has a vital role in this shared journey toward connectivity and prosperity.

Today, I invite all partners to deepen engagement, align strategies, and forge durable partnerships. Together, we can transform these corridors into engines of growth. Connectivity is about building trust, opportunity, and shared destiny.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Government and the people of Pakistan, I once again extend a very warm welcome to all distinguished participants. I thank you for your presence, your partnership, and your commitment to advancing our shared vision of connectivity and cooperation. I wish you productive discussions, meaningful exchanges, and a successful and fruitful conference today and tomorrow.

Thank you. Pakistan Zindabad.

Islamabad

October 23, 2025