H.E. & Dear Brother Yermek Kosherbayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the current COM Chairman of the ECO,

H.E. & Dear Brother Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the 28th COM Chairman of the ECO,

Hon’ble Ambassador Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, Secretary General (ECO),

Distinguished Ministers, Excellencies,

Honourable delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalam-o-Alaikum,

I would like to congratulate my dear brother, Yermek Kosherbayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on assuming the office of Foreign Minister and for successful hosting of the 29th ECO-COM meeting.

We appreciate the role played by Kazakhstan in steering the ECO during its Chairmanship.

I also wish to laud the efforts of my dear brother, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the outgoing Chair, as well as the ECO Secretary General for their role in further strengthening the ECO.

Excellencies,

This meeting takes place amid rapidly changing global and regional geopolitical developments as well as technological advancements that are impacting regional cooperation. In today’s uncertain world, it is more important than ever before to collectively address common challenges, bridge the economic divide, and unlock the potential for shared prosperity.

Accordingly, we need to further solidify ECO, enabling it to meet its objectives. The ECO region offers enormous opportunities with a vast contiguous geographical area and abundant natural resources for integration of trade and economic systems.

Mr. Chairman,

As a founding member, Pakistan sees ECO as a useful platform to further reinforce ties among the members through multilateral engagements.

In pursuit of the ECO Vision 2025, Pakistan remains steadfast in its efforts to advance the goals of regional connectivity through integrated and efficient transport corridors. We believe that the focus of the 29^th ECO COM – “Advancing Regional Transport Connectivity and Sustainable Development”, is both timely and consistent with the ECO vision.

Mr. Chairman,

Pakistan has placed multimodal Transport corridors at the center of its development strategy. Such corridors are an essential pillar of our national development and a cornerstone of regional integration within the ECO region – encompassing road, rail, maritime, air and other networks.

In harmony with our National Transport Policy, we are revitalizing frameworks, harmonizing customs procedures and adopting international transport conventions, including the TIR system, to enable uninterrupted flow of goods and people between Pakistan and fellow ECO member states.

Pakistan is aligning its transport systems with those of other ECO member states to ensure seamless regional integration. We are keen to fully operationalize Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Rail Corridor and working with Iran and Türkiye for its early revival.

We have also joined the Eurasian Multimodal Corridor, connecting our ports to the Eurasian heartland, and we are also looking forward to the early establishment of Rail Corridors from Uzbekistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan, providing Central Asian region with much-needed transit opportunities and fostering growth and regional stability.

Excellencies,

As you are well aware, Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference was held in Islamabad in October 2025. Ministers and Senior officials from over two dozen countries and major international organisations, including the ECO Secretariat, gathered to deliberate on the theme “Regional Connectivity: Opportunities for the Region.”

The Conference enabled us to formulate strategies, identify priority corridors, and strengthen cooperation in road, rail, maritime and digital transport systems. It reinforced Pakistan’s role as a bridge connecting South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and China. Connectivity provides us an opportunity to transform our geography into an engine of growth for the entire region.

Distinguished colleagues,

I am pleased to share that since 14th August 2024, Pakistan has implemented a liberalized visa regime, introducing a "Visa Prior to Arrival" system for business and tourism purposes for 126 countries. As a result, businessmen, workers, and tourists from our regional partners are easily availing this facility, reflecting our commitment to openness and people-to-people connectivity.

Despite the above efforts, we all need to acknowledge that there is significant untapped potential for improving sustainability of transport and transit trade among the ECO regional countries. To fully realize the immense potential of our region, we must deepen cooperation in the following four key areas:

1. Full implementation of the Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA);
2. Development of a coordinated multimodal transport network;
3. Simplification and harmonization of customs and border procedures through capacity building and technology transfer; and
4. Promotion of sustainable and climate-resilient transport systems aligned with our international environmental commitments.

Excellencies,

Pakistan is in the process of strengthening its digital connectivity with the deployment of a new Sea submarine cable system. Under this deployment, Pakistan has been allocated a total of 13.2 Tbps bandwidth, enhancing support for cloud services, data centers, fintech, e-commerce, streaming, and the broader digital economy. We are ready to share the benefits of this initiative with fellow ECO member states through the development of a digital corridor.

Excellencies,

To realize the dream of regional connectivity, it is imperative to create an environment of peace and security. The ECO vision of regional connectivity requires collective efforts by the member states to address the serious security challenges faced by our region. ECO member states must jointly confront terrorism to establish a strong foundation for economic cooperation in the region. Without effectively overcoming this common threat, our dreams of seamless regional connectivity would remain a challenge.

Excellencies,

Terrorism is the biggest obstacle in achieving regional peace, progress and prosperity. Along with terrorism, climate change is also a common challenge to regional connectivity.

We must integrate climate resilience into the very fabric of our economic cooperation by investing in green infrastructure, enhancing early warning systems, and promoting regional climate adaptation strategies that serve our common future.

Mr. Chairman,

Finally, I would like to thank again all Member States for their support in designating Lahore as the ECO Tourism Capital for the year 2027. I assure you, that Lahore – Pakistan’s cultural heart, will wholeheartedly welcome all those who will visit us. I extend a very warm invitation to you all.

I look forward to welcoming you all in Pakistan next year for the 30^th Meeting of the ECO COM. Let us work together to overcome all the challenges and build a better future of peace, progress and prosperity for our entire region and beyond.

Thank you!

Islamabad

November 28, 2025