ISLAMABAD: A provincial governor has said Pakistan was looking into a plan to connect the city of Rawalpindi with Uzbekistan through a railway link, potentially expanding the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Central Asia, state-run APP reported on Monday. 

Pakistan wants to enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting the landlocked Central Asian countries with the world, leveraging its strategic geographical position. In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between Pakistan and Central Asian states. 

Last month, the Pakistani Ministry of Commerce and Trade Development Authority organized the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Logistics Forum in Tashkent, where officials agreed to set up a joint chamber of commerce and enhance direct flights. In May, Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov visited Pakistan for talks on bilateral trade and regional connectivity. The Pakistani PM also visited Tajikistan and Kazakhstan last week. 

CPEC, under which Beijing has pledged more than $60 billion for infrastructure, energy and other projects in Pakistan, is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s modern-day revival of the ancient Silk Road which aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa through more than 60 countries.

“The proposed expansion aims to lay tracks from Rawalpindi to Kohat [Pakistan] and from Kohat to Parachinar [Pakistan], ultimately connecting to Uzbekistan,” the Associated Press of Pakistan reported on Monday, quoting Faisal Karim Kundi, the governor of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“The governor expressed optimism that this initiative would significantly benefit both regions, enhancing economic ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.”

Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled a grand plan for Central Asia’s development, from building infrastructure to boosting trade, taking on a new leadership role in a region that has traditionally been a Russian sphere of influence. 

The five former Soviet republics, with a network of trade corridors, offer China alternative routes to transport fuel, food and other commodities in the event of disruptions elsewhere.

Pakistan says the CPEC project is open to all interested regional stakeholders, among whom Central Asia is one of the most important in geopolitical terms. 

Located in a landlocked but resource-rich region, Central Asian countries need better access to regional markets including Pakistan, China, India, and the countries of West Asia. Meanwhile, Pakistan and China have huge energy demands that can be satisfied by growing trade with Central Asia. CPEC also presents a strategic opportunity for Central Asian states to transport their goods more easily in regional and global markets.