It is a future where an integrated knowledge economy, driven by energy pipelines, transmission lines, and AI research centers, thrives across national borders

The recent address by Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal at the Tian Shan Forum in Urumqi presents a powerful and timely argument for a paradigm shift in regional strategy. In a world increasingly defined by interconnectedness, the minister has articulated a vision where the collective potential of China, Central Asia, and South Asia can forge a new heartland of global economic growth. This is a crucial pivot, one that moves beyond the often contentious dynamics of geopolitics towards the more constructive and mutually beneficial realm of geoeconomics.

Ahsan Iqbal’s central thesis is compelling: “great nations and great cultures do not rise in isolation; they flourish through exchange.” This historical truth is being revitalized today through modern initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The minister’s specific emphasis on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is particularly salient. CPEC is not merely a collection of infrastructure projects; it is a strategic framework designed to transform Pakistan into the “most efficient, reliable and cost-effective connectivity hub” for a vast and dynamic region. The reported successes—8,000 MW of power generation, extensive highway networks, and the operationalisation of Gwadar Port—demonstrate that this vision is already yielding tangible results.

The real potential, however, lies in the future. Ahsan Iqbal’s proposal for a four-point cooperation framework offers a pragmatic roadmap. Harmonizing railway and aviation routes, digitizing customs, and implementing single-window trading systems are practical, impactful steps that could reduce logistics costs across Eurasia by 20-30%. Furthermore, the proposal for jointly developed regional Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Central Asia, Pakistan, and China is a masterstroke. By encouraging Central Asian investment in Gwadar and Karachi, these zones could become powerful anchors for Eurasian supply chains, generating an estimated $50–60 billion in industrial output within a decade.

This is a future where the strategic potential of Gwadar, offering the shortest maritime route for Central Asian republics, is fully realized. It is a future where an integrated knowledge economy, driven by energy pipelines, transmission lines, and AI research centers, thrives across national borders.

The minister has provided a clear, ambitious, and achievable blueprint for a new era of regional prosperity. It is now incumbent upon all stakeholders to commit to this shared destiny, ensuring that the heartland of the world’s future is not just a dream, but a lived reality. This is a call to action that national leaders across the region should heed with urgency and commitment.