Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that cooperation in trade and economic spheres was a “win-win proposition” which offered “rich dividends” to all parties involved.

He made the remarks while addressing the Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference in Islamabad. Transport ministers and senior officials from Türkiye, Sri Lanka, Iran, Maldives, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan are attending the two-day conference which kicked off on Thursday.

Addressing the conference today, PM Shehbaz said: “It cannot be stressed enough that cooperation in trade and economic spheres is a win-win proposition, offering rich dividends to all.

“This would strengthen our common stake in peace and reinforce efforts for development in the region,” he said.

In his remarks, the premier also talked about Pakistan’s key geographic location, saying: “Our geography links the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and the Persian gulf to the majestic Karakoram and Himalayan range, flowing through the timeless Indus Valley.

“Pakistan’s long coastline also makes our ports of Gwadar and in future many other potential ports on this coastline, including Karachi, as key transit points on the maritime Silk Road,” he added.

He recalled the “vision and foresight” of former premier and his brother Nawaz Sharif, pointing out that one of his earliest initiatives after assuming power was the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“CPEC has been a transformative experience for this region, connecting markets [and] bringing people together across China, Central Asia, South Asia and Middle East,” he said.

He added that by linking the Gwadar port with China’s Xinjiang province, the road had “opened new routes for trade and energy cooperation, serving as a vital gateway of connectivity, opportunity and cultural exchanges”.

He highlighted that following the success of its first phase, Pakistan would now be entering into the second and “very exciting phase of CPEC 2.0”, which was centered and based on fostering business-to-business partnerships and strengthening investment opportunities for Chinese companies in Pakistan as well as from “friendly and brotherly countries” attending the conference.

He emphasised that in the digital age, connectivity was not just related to roads, railways and airlinks, but also encompassed data, innovation, research and development, and technological integration.

“Pakistan is investing in digital infrastructure to ensure that we are adequately equipped to catch up with the fourth industrial revolution around the globe,” he highlighted, adding that 60 per cent of the country’s population was between 15 to 30 years of age.

“It is a huge challenge but also brings huge opportunities,” PM Shehbaz said.

“If we’re able to provide ample opportunities to our youthful boys and girls in the fields of information technology, artificial intelligence [and] vocational training, that will be our greatest asset,” he emphasised.

“We don’t have black gold, but we have our youth as our greatest asset which will become the harbinger of Pakistan’s speedy progress and prosperity in times to come,” he said.