Pakistan has called for the rapid development of a high-speed digital corridor to connect Central Asia through its Internet gateways. Officials urged member states and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to form a joint working group to discuss feasibility, design, and financing.
At the 24th Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministerial Conference in Bishkek, Pakistan stressed the importance of secure and reliable digital pathways for regional integration. The country highlighted recent reforms in border management, digital transit, and payment infrastructure as key foundations for the corridor.
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan said Pakistan is fully prepared to work closely with the ADB and regional partners. He emphasized the need to modernize transit systems and expand digital connectivity. Khan encouraged the early formation of a joint working group to guide the project under CAREC’s digital agenda.
The minister detailed reforms such as the Land Port Authority Act for centralized border management, the expansion of the TIR/eTIR paperless transit system, electronic certificate rollout through the Pakistan Single Window, and wider adoption of RAAST, the country’s real-time digital payment network.
Pakistan also requested concessional climate financing under the ADB’s Climate and Sustainability Project Preparatory Fund. Officials highlighted the country’s high climate vulnerability and the need for regional cooperation to implement climate-adapted digital projects.
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