PhototakenonJan.29,2018showsaviewofGwadarPortinsouthwestPakistan'sGwadar.(Xinhua/AhmadKamal)ExpertsandofficialsbelievethatthevasttransportinfrastructureoftheChina-PakistanEconomicCorridor(CPEC)anditsGwadarportwillplayamajorroleinthecountry'spursuitofitsgoalespeciallyatthetimewhenithasstartedenhancingtradetieswithlandlockedAfghanistanandtheCentralAsiancountries.byMisbahSabaMalikISLAMABAD,May14(Xinhua)--Pakistan'sMinistryofCommercehassaidthatitisstrivingtomakePakistanahuboftransshipmentbytappingthepotentialofthegeographicallocationsofthecountryanditscapabilitytohelpcargoreachtheoutsideworldthroughitsports.ExpertsandofficialsbelievethatthevasttransportinfrastructureoftheChina-PakistanEconomicCorridor(CPEC)anditsGwadarportwillplayamajorroleinthecountry'spursuitofitsgoalespeciallyatthetimewhenithasstartedenhancingtradetieswithlandlockedAfghanistanandtheCentralAsiancountries.Earlierthismonth,thefirst-evercargocontainerfromPakistan'ssouthernKarachiportreachedUzbekistanundertheTransportsInternationauxRoutiers(TIR),ortheInternationalRoadTransport,bytravelingonthe"vastroadsbuiltundertheframeworkofCPEC,andinthefuturethetrafficislikelytoincreasesharply,"sourcesfromthecommerceministrytoldXinhua.AnothercontainerfromUzbekistanisexpectedtoreachPakistan'sindustrialcityofFaisalabadsoonbyfollowingthesamelandroute,accordingtoastatementfromthecommerceministry.PhototakenonNov.13,2016showstheCOSCOWellingtoncargovesselwithcontainersmooredatGwadarport,Pakistan.(Xinhua/LiuTian)AdvisortoPakistaniPrimeMinisterforCommerceandInvestmentAbdulRazakDawoodviewedCPECasagoodopportunitynotonlyforPakistanbutalsoforAfghanistanandCentralAsiancountriesfortheireconomicgrowth."Inthefuture,opportunitiesarecomingtoPakistanunderCPEC,andwithpeaceinAfghanistanweneedtogiveanewdirectiontoCPECasapolicytoenhanceconnectivitywithAfghanistanandCentralAsia,"hetoldXinhua.CallingPakistan'stradeinitiativewithUzbekistanundertheTIRanewbeginning,DawoodsaidthatthevisionistomakethewholeCentralAsiancountries,AfghanistanandPakistananintegratedunitintermsoftrade,"andCPECwillplayanimportantroleforthatpurpose."HesaidtheGwadarportwhichhasalreadybeenutilizedforAfghantransittrade,hasanimportantroleinmakingPakistanahuboftransshipmentbecauseitwillbetheshortestroutetothelandlockedcountriestoreachtheoutsideworld."PakistanandChinahavemadebiginvestmentsinGwadarandthetimetotapthefullpotentialofGwadarisapproachingbecausepeaceinAfghanistanandPakistan'sboostingrelationswiththeCentralAsiancountriesundertheTIRwillhelpusmakethebestuseofGwadar,"Dawoodsaid.FishingboatsberthinthebayatGwadarportinsouthwestPakistan'sGwadar,Jan.29,2018.(Xinhua/AhmadKamal)Launchedin2013,CPECisacorridorlinkingtheGwadarportinsouthwesternPakistanwithKashgarinnorthwestChina'sXinjiangUyghurAutonomousRegion,whichhighlightsenergy,transportandindustrialcooperation.Apartfromthegovernment'seffortstoprovideaccessibilitytotheCentralAsiancountriesandAfghanistantothePakistaniports,PakistaniprivatetradersalsoshowagreatinterestinCentralAsiatoimportrawmaterialsandcommoditiesfromthereatalowercostascomparedtootherinternationalmarkets.ChiefCoordinatorofthePakistanReadymadeGarmentsManufacturersandExportersAssociation,IjazKhokhar,toldXinhuathattheyarelookingtoimportcottonbalesfromtheCentralAsiancountries,whichareavailableatacheaperprice.HesaidPakistan'stextileindustryisboomingandthereisanacuteshortageofrawmaterialbecausecottonproductioninthecountryhasdecreasedandtheCentralAsiancountriesarerichincottonwhichcanbeusedinPakistanoncethetraderelationswiththemenhance.PhototakenonMay25,2018showstheMultan-ShujaabadsectionofMultan-SukkurMotorwayinMultan,Pakistan.(Xinhua/AhmadKamal)"WearedesperatelywantingapeacefulroutetoCentralAsiaandafterthereispeaceinAfghanistan,wearepinninghopeontheconnectivityenhancedbyCPECtohelpusfindnewmarkets.BecausecurrentlyourmajorexportmarketsaretheEuropeanUnion(EU)wherePakistanissendingitsproductsundertheGeneralizedSchemeofPreferencesPlus(GSP+)status,butweneedtofindmoremarketsforourproducts,"Khokharsaid.HesaidPakistan'scurrentexportstoEUcountriesareover6billionU.S.dollarsannuallyandthetextilesectorcontributestoalargepartofit.Lastmonth,theEuropeanParliamentadoptedaresolutiontoreviewtheGSP+statusofPakistan,raisingconcernsamongthePakistaniexporters."IftheyremovetheGSP+status,wewillsustaingreatlossesinourrevenue.Inthissituation,wearelookingforwardtoenhancedtraderelationswithCentralAsia,"Khokharsaid."ThebestthingaboutCPECwiththeCentralAsiancountriesisthelandroutes,whichcurrentlysuitsusthebestbecausethechargesofseafreightinPakistanhasincreasedandiftheGSP+statusisnotsecured,wewillbetransportingittotheCentralAsiancountriesonamuchcheapercostviaCPECinfrastructure,andinthefuturewewillseeknewmarketsfromtheGwadarportonwards,"headded.■