ISLAMABAD: A press release says that the Corporate Pakistan Group (CPG) and Nutshell Group, both of which were started by Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, a former Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Investment, held a groundbreaking event called “Thought Leaders Dialogue: Pakistan: The Next Great Infrastructure Connector” at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad.
Ambassador Ali Jehangir Siddiqui was the main speaker at the session. He also wrote “Pakistan: The Next Great Infrastructure Connector,” an Issue Brief for the Atlantic Council. The Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan group that encourages good leadership and participation in international affairs. It also helps shape policy choices and strategies to make the world more free, safe, and wealthy.
The discussed brief looks at a future path for Pakistan that hasn’t been mapped out yet, so that the country can make the most of its strategic location and connect landlocked Central Asia, the natural resources of the Middle East, and the markets of China and India.
Ambassador Siddiqui made a strong case for Pakistan’s economic growth and economic security in the region by comparing it to Turkey, which has made good use of its location by building up its infrastructure. During the talk, he talked a lot about how important it was to build infrastructure quickly so that everyone in the region could be prosperous and grow.
The paper talks about how fast Gas, Electricity, Road, Rail, and Fiber Optic connections have grown in the last ten years. It also says that Pakistan’s current infrastructure and planned developments need to be in sync for the country to reach its full potential as a regional connector. Ambassador Siddiqui thinks that “realising this potential within the next ten years is very likely.”
As the country grows and becomes the next big hub, regional governments and the private sector will not only be able to take part in this growth, but they will also be able to tie the country’s fate to a shared and prosperous future.
The paper shows that many opportunities are already attracting the attention of regional players who stand to benefit directly. Investors who stand to be rewarded in a similar way to Turkey should also look into these opportunities.
Muhammad Azfar Ahsan thinks that “Pakistan’s location is its main strength and will determine its rise as the most important energy corridor for regional prosperity. It will also have a direct effect on Pakistan’s prosperity, stability, and security and make them better.
The Brief was first released and promoted before the Global Energy Forum, which the Atlantic Council was going to host at the Dubai Expo in March 2022 as part of the World Government Summit. With the release of this Issue Brief, Pakistan is now at the centre of both a constructive international dialogue and a national conversation.
