TOKYO:Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday said by joining hands, Pakistan and Japan could create a robust and efficient infrastructure network, boost regional connectivity, and enhance trade volumes not only between the two countries but also across the entire region.
In his remarks at the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), on the topic ‘Pakistan and Japan in the Asian context’, the foreign minister said while Pakistan and Japan were situated in different corners of the Asian continent, they shared important convergences in terms of their outlook and vision for the region.
“As a developing country facing serious economic and environmental challenges, Pakistan simply does not have time for the Cold War-style bloc politics that sadly seem to be making a comeback. We want to focus on delivering jobs and prosperity to our 230 million people – two-thirds of whom are below 30 years of age,” the Foreign Office Spokesperson in a press release quoted the foreign minister as saying.
FM Bilawal said they could only do that by leveraging their strategic location at the crossroads of Central and South Asia to foster economic connectivity and generate growth.
“This vision is the moving force behind our shift from geopolitics to geo-economics. This is not just a rhetorical change but is rooted in the realization that business-as-usual is no longer an option,” he reiterated.
The foreign minister further said that they regarded the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as an important part of the vision for enhanced connectivity.
Chinese investments in the power sector were a shot in the arm for Pakistan when they were facing crippling electricity cuts across the country that had paralyzed their industries, he opined.
He said the opportunities created in Pakistan’s industrial, agricultural and energy sectors as a result of CPEC and other Chinese projects were not exclusive to any one country.
“Japanese firms have experience of working successfully and profitably in Pakistan. Their expertise in building infrastructure is second to none,” he added.
He said the economic complementarities between Pakistan and Japan were vast and multifaceted and by capitalizing on each other’s strengths, they could create a win-win situation, resulting in shared prosperity and growth.
“There is immense potential for collaboration in trade, investment, agriculture, infrastructure, and services. Let us seize this opportunity to build stronger ties, promote bilateral cooperation, and forge a brighter future for our countries, the region and the generations to come,” he added.
The foreign minister said Pakistan and Japan also shared another complementarity as both were littoral states with vital and far-ranging maritime interests.
Situated on the Indian Ocean Rim, he said Pakistan had long been recognized as a stakeholder in the security of the Arabian Sea – as evidenced by the number of times Pakistan had been called on to lead the multinational Combined Task Force 150.
“Developing a blue economy is crucial to achieving Pakistan’s economic objectives. We hope to go a lot further in this area with Japan’s assistance,” he observed.
The foreign minister further elaborated that Pakistan was cognizant that their aspirations for regional connectivity and trade would remain unfulfilled as long as lasting peace and stability in South Asia remains elusive.
“Pakistan’s position has always been clear: there can be no peace in South Asia until the region’s core dispute – the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir – is resolved through dialogue and in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the principles of international law,” he stressed.
Pakistan had always been ready to work towards such a resolution, he said, adding tragically, Pakistan did not have a partner for peace in South Asia.
The foreign minister said, “India is in the grip of a form of religious hysteria that has closed out any space for dialogue and diplomacy.”
While it was expected given the ideology of India’s ruling party, what was surprising – and disappointing, he said, was the silence of the international community on its oppression in Kashmir and provocations against a much smaller neighbour.
About Afghanistan, he said Pakistan and Japan had similar interests in that country.
“Both countries have stakes in Afghanistan’s peace and stability. Japan had been one of Afghanistan’s most steadfast economic partners, dating back to the time it hosted the Tokyo Conference in 2002 for Afghanistan’s reconstruction,” he added.
More recently, Bilawal said, Japan had provided crucial assistance to the Afghan people as they grappled with serious humanitarian and economic crises.
By aligning their efforts, he said, Pakistan and Japan could contribute to a stable, secure, and prosperous Afghanistan.
“Japan’s expertise in development assistance and Pakistan’s geographical proximity to Afghanistan can create opportunities for joint efforts in providing humanitarian aid and promoting sustainable development,” he added.
For its part, he said, Pakistan believed that patient and pragmatic engagement with the Afghan interim government was crucial to advancing the international community’s shared interests in the region – whether those related to securing Afghanistan’s counterterrorism cooperation, safeguarding Afghan women’s rights, or promoting political inclusivity within the Afghan government.
By leveraging their respective strengths and collaborating on regional initiatives, Pakistan and Japan could also catalyse the growth and development of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), he observed.
The foreign minister said their joint efforts could help foster closer cooperation, enhance regional stability, and unlock the untapped potential of the SAARC member countries, leading to shared progress and prosperity for the entire region.
But more than anything, he added, Pakistan and Japan could contribute to and enrich the discourse on issues of regional importance – especially conflict resolution, poverty alleviation, climate change, and global health.
The devastating floods that wrought havoc and destruction across Pakistan last year reconfirmed that Pakistan was one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, he added.
In the aftermath of that natural calamity, he said, Pakistan drew international attention to the plight of countries facing the brunt of climate change.
“We led the G77 countries in successfully pushing for the establishment of a Loss and Damage Fund at the COP27 held in Sharm el-Sheikh in November 2022. We also co-hosted the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan with the United Nations earlier this year. We are thankful to Japan for joining the Conference and for committing $77 million in assistance for post-flood reconstruction and rehabilitation in Pakistan,” he added.
As a result of those efforts, Foreign Minister Bilawal said, Pakistan found itself playing an important role in shaping the global discourse on climate change.
He also expressed the hope that Japan would join efforts for getting the international financial institutions to play their role in helping disaster-prone countries build out their climate resilience.
“We also hope that Japan would urge the developed economies to fulfill their responsibilities towards developing countries that have a negligible carbon footprint but suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change,” he added.
The foreign minister also elaborated that Pakistan suffered from periodic floods – a problem made worse by accelerated climate change.
Pakistan was also one of the most seismically active countries in the world. Several fault lines met in Pakistan, making it particularly susceptible to earthquakes, he said, adding Japan, of course, was renowned for its early warning systems and disaster risk reduction efforts.
It was another area where Pakistan hoped to learn from Japan’s experience and expertise, he said.
Like other Asian countries, Bilawal highlighted, Pakistan wanted to benefit from the Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) and the Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) programme of Japan.
The export of skilled labour from Pakistan to Japan had the potential to contribute significantly to Japan’s progress and development, he said.
Pakistan had a large pool of highly skilled professionals, particularly in the fields of information technology, engineering, healthcare and hospitality, and by opening avenues for skilled Pakistani workers, Japan could tap into that talent pool and address its labour shortages in key sectors, he stressed.
The foreign minister also lauded the Asian Development Bank for its commendable role in helping the Asian countries build their development and financial institutions.
Japan’s support for the Institute was consistent with the assistance Japan had extended to the Asian countries – including Pakistan – in navigating their development journeys, he observed.