Regional Connectivity: Road To Future Prosperity

By Ambassador (Retd) Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan,

A peaceful, stable, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan is fundamental to the success of Pakistan’s multipronged initiative for fostering socio-economic connectivity and cooperation in the greater Southwest and Central Asian region. Following the recent events in Afghanistan, Pakistan recognizes its emergency and humanitarian needs, and has come forth to support the country in this time of crisis. The Government of Pakistan would continue to do its best to help Afghan brethren during the prevalent challenging environment. This follows Pakistan’s dispatch earlier this year of life-saving equipment to Afghanistan to tackle the COVID-19 emergency.

Pakistan is committed to supporting inclusive political processes in Afghanistan that bring peace, development, prosperity, safety and empowerment to its citizens. Pakistan also urges the international community to play its role in helping the people of Afghanistan to avert a possible humanitarian crisis.

In heralding a new chapter in our brotherly relations with Afghanistan, Pakistan seeks to place at the center, the human security and sustainable development of our citizens, including better access to health and education. We are cognizant that the Coronavirus pandemic has put people’s needs right at the centre of policy agendas for both Pakistan and Afghanistan, and we are framing our strategic approaches accordingly. The coronavirus pandemic has occasioned a global debate on the world’s post-COVID futures. The arguments for pursuing value-based international cooperation and multilateralism outweigh moves towards insular protectionism.

For long-term regional stability and prosperity, Pakistan has proactively adopted a regional approach and framework for post-conflict Afghanistan and the greater Southwest and Central Asian region. Pakistan has always promoted regional integration and peace (e.g. ECO, SAARC, SCO, pipelines, trade and transit) as principles for using geography for collective good. It recognizes the significance of a prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan that would provide impetus to economic integration, strong people-to-people linkages, and enhanced trade in the region. Therefore, it is imperative to realize common regional challenges and opportunities and work collectively in supporting regional partners.

Pakistan’s strong desire to enhance bilateral trade and transit, which will particularly bring prosperity to the people living in bordering areas, is highlighted through its approved extension of the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) for another six months. It has also changed the bonded carrier regime system for Afghan transit trade to meet traders’ demands, and opened Torkham border for all trade and transit traffic, and for ease of movement for Pakistanis and Afghans returning to their countries, including students and patients.

Along with Afghanistan, Pakistan is committed to working with all Central Asian States, Iran and other regional neighbours in facilitating people-to people contacts investment, trade and transit and knowledge and technology transfer, for the benefit of peoples of the region.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured of Pakistan’s steadfast support for efforts in this direction. We have entered the Asian Century’ in which our region is playing a pivotal role for the socio-economic connectivity and development not only of our country but also our friendly neighbours. We need to develop regional cooperation and collaboration models that bring phenomenal dividends to the people of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and our entire region.

With an eye on a visionary long-term prosperous future for both our countries, our approach is to leverage economic cooperation regional integration and connectivity through transit trade routes infrastructural support and construction of special economic zones. Additionally, we are working to establish a full-spectrum bilateral relationship that places human security and dignified development and empowerment of the citizens and communities of both our countries, at the center of our efforts. 

Pakistan has decades of relevant governance and human development experience, tools, capacities and value propositions to bring to the table for a dynamic peace, economic and development partnership with Afghanistan. In addition to government channels and platforms, we are also committed to supporting exchanges and collaborations between parliamentary civil society, academic, scientific, arts and media communities; youth and women leaders; entrepreneurs; and legal and business groups, between our countries.

Pakistan fully supports people-to-people exchanges, dialogues and collaborations with Afghanistan that seek to bring peace and end the suffering of its people. We believe a people-centered approach that puts a premium on these public and entrepreneurial constituencies will reduce the trust deficit, bring ‘normalcy’, development growth and employment that both our countries desperately need. We believe that Afghanistan offers a clear and present opportunity for Pakistan to program a framework for human security and sustainable development that can yield benefits for our entire region. 

Afghanistan’s population is roughly 36 million, making it the youngest country in South Asia, having an average age of 18+ years. This demographic dividend can be a force multiplier for the country. Similarly, with a population of more than 207 million. Pakistan is the second youngest country in our region after Afghanistan, with 68 percent below the age of 30 years.  Forecasts on Pakistan put the country at a unique point where its demographics can become its most important dividend. Youth are the drivers of economic, social, institutional and political change. They need to be addressed as a matter of top national policy priority and human security by Pakistan and Afghanistan, as two pivotal countries of South Asia.

Through our robust investments in bilateral trade, education and health sectors, we are particularly focused on creating economic development, jobs and financial inclusion for women and young people, so they can play a constructive role for enhancing our region’s position in the global markets.

Pakistan’s development assistance to Afghanistan has reached USD 1 billion, for which empowering women and youth is a central goal. Our efforts are geared towards investment in infrastructure, education health, agriculture and capacity building of Afghan professionals. Pakistan has made singular contribution in Afghanistan’s education by extending 6000 fully funded scholarships to Afghan students while 100 seats have been reserved for women annually. Last year more than 700 Afghan students joined Pakistani universities to pursue their education here. Pakistan is also assisting Afghanistan in capacity building in the fields of agriculture, banking, railways, military and diplomacy. 

Our joint efforts need to be deepened and strengthened further Pakistan is ready to provide thought, institutional, technical, and vocational support. We understand that Afghanistan is now on the path of post-conflict transition towards positive peace through engagement and collaboration with communities. So we are committed to investing focus on research and capacity-building initiatives for negotiations, peace-building, stabilization and reconstruction processes that place people and communities at the centre.

Pakistan’s own counter-terror experience of two decades has shown us that violence occurs due to weak governance.  Foreign military deployments cannot resolve these problems, and local populations need to develop and administer systems of governance themselves. A meaningful agenda for policy  negotiations on governance, human security and development of Afghanistan, should replace the long continuum of violence that Afghanistan has suffered from for three decades. Pakistan stands committed to play a central role towards that goal.

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