ISLAMABAD: The eastern course of the China-Pakistan Financial Hallway (CPEC) has been viewed as the most profitable concerning commonplace portrayal, provincial and trans-line availability, the travel industry, and financial advantages, while Islamabad and Dera Ismail Khan have been recognized as the top monetary and transport centers because of their essential areas and interconnectivity.
This was the essence of a consultative meeting on change of transport passageways into financial hallways managed by Priest for Arranging and Improvement Ahsan Iqbal.
Waqas Anwar, a member infrastructure organization, claims that the eastern route is the most feasible option with the least amount of travel time. Gwadar, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Multan, Islamabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Chilas, and Gilgit are all connected by this route, which reaches Khunjerab on the border between Pakistan and China.
Even though the shortest travel time route combines aspects of the eastern and central routes, the session noted that it does not adequately represent provincial interests, particularly Sindh.
Due to their strategic locations, Islamabad and D.I. Khan have been identified as the top economic and transportation hubs. The central route includes Gwadar, Turbat, Quetta, Shikarpur, D.G. Khan, D.I. Khan, Islamabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Chilas, Gilgit, and Khunjerab. The western route includes Gwadar, Turbat, Quetta, Qilla Saifullah, D.I. Khan
Conversely, the eastern course shows a more impartial dissemination of framework — 34% in Punjab, 17pc in Sindh, 24pc in Balochistan, 13pc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 12pc in Gilgit-Baltistan — while likewise lining up with the populace conveyance of 78.1 million across the regions.
Additionally, D.I. Khan and Islamabad have been recognized as suitable transportation hubs with the potential to serve as logistics hubs for warehousing operations. Also, Islamabad’s central location makes it more strategic in the network, especially because it has the fastest route.
The session emphasized that Gilgit, in addition to the Khunjerab Pass and Gwadar, poses a significant threat to the robustness of the network by affecting inter-city connectivity in emergency situations or under adverse conditions. Additionally, the eastern route is thought to be more durable and operationally effective.
The planning minister said that the future of Pakistan is tied to transforming these corridors into thriving economic zones and that the government is committed to using Pakistan’s existing transportation infrastructure as a foundation for broader economic growth. He went on to say that “our vision is to harness the power of our transport networks to drive industrial growth, regional integration, and sustainable development.” He also said that transportation corridors need to be economic lifelines that encourage trade, investment, and regional collaboration.
The session emphasized that economic zones that integrate industrial and commercial activities should be established in transport corridors as well as roads and railways. These economic zones should become hubs for industrial development and facilitate growth in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and services.
The need for comprehensive business planning was a major topic of discussion. Participants were urged by the planning minister to create in-depth business plans with a clear plan for establishing economic zones along these transportation corridors. We need to carry out extensive feasibility studies, locate potential industrial hubs, and develop financial models that will entice investment from both domestic and foreign sources. He stated, “This is the way forward for creating long-term economic opportunities.”