Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday that Pakistan would join 25 big economies of the world by the year 2025. While speaking at an International Marketing Congress on Tuesday, Ahsan said Gwadar Port will emerge as a leading port in the next two decades and Pakistan will become an epicenter of regional connectivity due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He said free trade zones are being developed at Gwadar which would make it an industrial hub of the region.
Under the CPEC, nine industrial zones will be established all over the country which would bring about an industrial revolution. In the next 20 years, Gwadar would become a leading small port city with airports, free industrial zones, infrastructure and other facilities, he said.
The minister said the government is spending all available resources to build infrastructure which is essential for economic development. Consistency in policies is needed to continue the journey of progress and prosperity. Ahsan further said that industrial cooperation between Pakistan and China would result in promotion of local industry and production capacity.
"Promotion of industrial development is the fourth key pillar of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Due to industrial cooperation, the Chinese industries would be shifted to Pakistan instead of other countries," he said. "The establishment of Chinese industries in Pakistan would also help eradicate unemployment in the country and boost skill development." Ahsan further said the local industrialists would get massive investment opportunities following the establishment of the industrial zones in the country.
The Chinese industry is not a threat to Pakistan's industrial sector as it would provide the opportunity to learn new skills, he added. The minister said, "Asia would have a key role in the 21st century with reference to global economy. Asia would become engine of global economy as it would provide over 50-per cent of world GDP," he said.
He also said that politics becomes secondary when national interest is involved. After coming into power in 2013, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government prioritised the energy sector and initiated long, medium and short-term power projects by exploiting all resources.
He said that rail track is being upgraded from Landi Kotal to Karachi. Within the next few years, train would attain 180-kilometre per hour speed on this track. Fibre optic cable is also being laid from China to Pakistan for data connectivity and it would connect Pakistan with the fastest internet communication system, he added.