LAHORE: SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry former president Iftikhar Ali Malik said here Sunday that South Asia,a region of two billion people, has great potentials to emerge like the EU (European Union) and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).
He added that South Asia countries must also capitalise their proximity that would definitely gear up overall socio-economic development in the region. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of leading industrialists led by Engineer Mian Sultan Mahmood Arain, Secretary General of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of South and Central Asia.
Malik said Pakistan has much to offer, especially to smaller countries and even making inroads through the use of drone technology in agriculture. If Pak made footballs are used in World Cup matches then why not in South Asia, he argued and said that trade among SAARC countries can reduce abject poverty in the region. Setting aside mistrust, businesses need to be less cumbersome and transpor
t and digital connectivity must be improved.
He cited that Pakistan has yet another advantage of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) which can offer regional economic connectivity to all South Asia with Central Asian countries via Pakistan. There is an emerging trend in parts of South Asia to forge ties without Pakistan and Afghanistan which must be averted in the larger interests of the region, he added.
The former SAARC-CCI president said, this region can progress and grow significantly if the policy of ‘non-interference and non-Hegemonic’ is strictly adhered to. He emphasized for regional connectivity and economic integration in South Asia as world becomes increasingly interconnected, fostering collaboration among neighboring nations is imperative for sustainable development and shared prosperity.
He said, South Asia is a region endowed with immense potential and rich resources, however, the full realization of this potential is hindered by barriers that impede smooth trade, investment, and people-
to-people exchanges. In order to overcome these challenges and unlock the benefits of cooperation, it is crucial for the countries in South Asia to come together and enhance their regional connectivity, he concluded.