Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has called for transforming Carec transport routes into next-generation economic corridors by integrating infrastructure, logistics, digital connectivity, energy cooperation and climate resilience.

Participating in a session of the 25th Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (Carec) Ministerial Conference in Ulaanbaatar, the minister said Pakistan viewed Carec Corridors 5 and 6 as an opportunity to connect Central Asia with the Arabian Sea and generate economic activity along the routes.

“The question is no longer simply, ‘Can a truck travel this route?’ It is, ‘Can a business use this route reliably, competitively and profitably?'” he said. Iqbal stressed the need to establish logistics and production hubs along strategic locations, saying cold storage, packaging, warehousing and light manufacturing could transform transit traffic into exports, jobs and value for communities along the corridors.

The minister also called for building a digital corridor across the Carec region, noting that Pakistan Single Window provided a foundation for phased digital integration with regional partners. “A consignment’s documents should be checked before it reaches the border,” he said.

The minister called for treating borders as a shared service, with compatible operating hours, advance electronic information, coordinated procedures and fewer repeated checks. He also emphasised the need to measure border delays, delivery times, local employment, SME participation and opportunities for women and youth.

“Regional cooperation succeeds when a trader can predict the journey, a farmer can reach a distant market without losing the harvest, and communities along the corridor share in its prosperity. That is how we move from connectivity to competitiveness,” Iqbal said.

Earlier, addressing the opening session of the 25th Carec Ministerial Conference under the theme “25 Years of Partnership, Shaping the Future Together,” the planning minister said Pakistan looked forward to assuming the Carec chairmanship in 2027 and hosting the 26th Ministerial Conference.