{"id":29339,"date":"2026-02-16T03:55:55","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T03:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=29339"},"modified":"2026-02-16T03:55:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T03:55:58","slug":"cpec-must-be-advanced-as-a-people-centric-agri-friendly-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=29339","title":{"rendered":"\u2018CPEC must be advanced as a people-centric, agri-friendly initiative.\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Speakers at an international conference have stressed the need to align infrastructure expansion with regional connectivity, long-term economic planning and food security.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They said CPEC should be advanced as a people-centric and agriculture-friendly initiative. This they said while addressing a two-day international conference on \u201cChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward\u201d. The conference started at the main auditorium of Benazir Bhutto Convention Center on Wednesday, was organized by Sindh University\u2019s Area Study Centre in collaboration with the Centre for International Strategic Studies, Sindh and is sponsored by the Sindh Higher Education Commission, Karachi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sindh University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri chaired the inaugural ceremony, while President of Pakistan People\u2019s Party (PPP) Sindh and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Nisar Ahmed Khuhro participated as the chief guest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing the opening ceremony, SU VC Dr Marri said that CPEC was not just a set of road connections and energy projects, but it was a transformative structure equipped with strengthening Pakistan\u2019s economic resilience and food system. \u201cImproved road infrastructure under CPEC has reduced transportation costs and enabled farmers to access larger markets and minimize their losses\u201d, he said and added that Pakistan ought to now concentrate on the second phase of CPEC, particularly upon technology transfer, agricultural cooperation and the establishment of agro-processing zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFood security is no longer just a rural issue but has become a vital component of national security\u201d, he said and added that population growth, water scarcity and climate change posed serious threats to sustainable food production. \u201cCooperation with China in mechanized farming, seed development and modern irrigation techniques can significantly enhance agricultural productivity, Dr Marri said and proposed to expand research partnerships between Pakistani and Chinese universities to address issues such as value chain development, arid zones and water management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpecial Economic Zones (SEZs) can serve as hubs for food processing and export-oriented agriculture\u201d, Dr Marri said and added that policy continuity, transparency and provincial coordination were vital to entirely take in the benefits of CPEC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PPP Sindh President and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Nisar Khuhro called for the inclusion of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) in CPEC and said that it would improve urban transportation and boost economic activity. \u201cThe previous government had sidelined the multi-billion-dollar CPEC project, which caused damage to the national economy\u201d, he said and added that delays in development projects not only affected infrastructure but also reduced employment opportunities and investor confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khuhro alleged that forces opposing development and CPEC wanted to deprive the people of progress and prosperity. He said those attacking CPEC and national growth aimed to keep the public economically weak and added that sustainable development was vital for national stability. He expressed concern over the delay in the construction of the Sukkur\u2013Hyderabad Motorway and said the federal government had yet to start work on the project. \u201cIt is a sign of inefficiency\u201d, he said. He urged the federal authorities to expedite major infrastructure projects, including the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said, \u201cSindh\u2019s survival hinges on water; any attempt to construct new canals on the River Indus would be strongly resisted, like that of the recent pas,t by the people of the province\u201d. \u201cOur agriculture is the backbone of the province\u2019s economy; water shortages would lead to devastation\u201d, he clarified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said, \u201cFederal policies have led to multiple crises across the country, including Sindh, and today Pakistan is facing shortages of almost everything\u201d. The PPP leader compared Pakistan with China and said that despite having a population of 1.5 billion, there were no reports of flour shortages in China, whereas controlling flour crises had become a challenge for Pakistan\u2019s rulers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khuhro said that his country needed better planning and governance to steer it out of crises. He pointed out that although Pakistan imported rice, sugar and other commodities from China, it had failed to learn from China\u2019s agricultural reforms. He highlighted the need to strengthen the agricultural sector through modern technology and reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pakistan\u2019s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, speaking via Zoom, said that CPEC had entered a new phase of high-quality development, innovation, and sustainability. \u201cAgricultural innovation is a key pillar of future cooperation between the two countries, including seed technology and livestock development\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khuhro said, \u201cIncreased agricultural productivity would ensure food security while enhancing rural incomes and exports\u201d. He emphasized the need to learn from China\u2019s poverty alleviation and rural revitalization experience. The PPP leader said that Gwadar Port and improved logistics would play a vital role in boosting agricultural exports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Sargodha, Prof Dr Tahir Mumtaz Awan, said educational and cultural cooperation formed the foundation of sustainable relations. He went on to say that Pakistan might benefit from collaborative research in agriculture, water management, and renewable energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advisor to the Strategic Plan Division and former ambassador Zameer Akram claimed that CPEC had improved Pakistan\u2019s economic and regional stature. He emphasized the significance of incorporating food security into national planning and stated that Pakistan remained dedicated to the project\u2019s long-term ambition despite obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference Link:- https:\/\/www.brecorder.com\/news\/40406824<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Speakers at an international conference have stressed the need to align infrastructure expansion with regional connectivity, long-term economic planning and food security. They said CPEC should be advanced as a people-centric and agriculture-friendly initiative. This they said while addressing a two-day international conference on \u201cChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward\u201d. The conference started […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[26989,26988,2307,483,26933,24272,26788],"class_list":["post-29339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-aside","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sample-category","tag-agri-friendly-initiatives","tag-agriculture-cooperation","tag-china-3","tag-pakistan-2","tag-poverty-alleviation-2","tag-rural-economy-2","tag-rural-prosperity","post_format-post-format-aside"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29341,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29339\/revisions\/29341"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}