From Geography to Growth:

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 Pakistan’s Economic Policy and Central Asia Trade Corridors

By Major Yamin Ahmed Khan (R)

Pakistan is strategically positioned at the crossroads of South and Central Asia, offering unmatched potential to serve as the region’s logistics and trade hub. Recent initiatives with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan highlight a forward-looking economic policy that leverages geography for regional growth.

Offering access to Gwadar and Karachi ports provides landlocked Central Asian states a cost-effective gateway to global markets. Coupled with ambitious rail and road corridor projects, including the Trans-Afghan railway, Pakistan is turning its geographic advantage into tangible economic opportunity.

Bilateral trade with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan is growing rapidly, supported by preferential trade agreements, transit arrangements, and expanding investment. These efforts align with a broader strategy: enhancing connectivity, reducing trade costs, and integrating regional markets.

From an economic-policy perspective, these corridors are more than infrastructure—they are strategic tools to boost trade, strengthen Pakistan’s role in regional supply chains, and foster shared prosperity across South and Central Asia.

Pakistan’s focus on infrastructure-led growth and regional integration demonstrates how smart economic policy can convert geography into sustainable growth.