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The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is part of the “One Belt One Road” initiative, according to which Beijing has pledged to provide more than USD 60b for infrastructure projects
Pakistan’s ambassador to Pakistan said on Monday that Pakistan has discussed the Taliban’s participation in Afghanistan’s multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project.
Pakistan’s special envoy to Kabul, Mansour Ahmed Khan, said in an interview with Reuters: “Regional connectivity is an important factor in our discussions with Afghan leaders, and it is also the way forward for our economic interaction with Afghanistan.”
“This important project-the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor… provides good opportunities and potential for infrastructure and energy connectivity between Afghanistan and Pakistan… (and) will also connect South Asia and Central Asia.”
CPEC is the core part of the “One Belt One Road” initiative. According to the initiative, Beijing has pledged to provide more than 60 billion U.S. dollars in funding for Pakistan’s infrastructure projects, most of which are in the form of loans.
Khan said that this and other ways of developing the country’s economy have been discussed with the Taliban-led government.
“I think people are very interested in developing the economic ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan through CPEC and other neighboring countries such as Iran, China, and Central Asian countries.”
In recent days, representatives from Pakistan, China and Russia have held talks with Taliban officials. Khan said that security and economic development are the two main topics under discussion, and these countries hope to continue consultations as a group and meet with the Taliban in the future.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, the country has fallen into an economic crisis because the country’s international aid has basically been interrupted. Multi-billion-dollar central bank assets held abroad have also been frozen, putting pressure on the banking system and preventing most transactions involving U.S. dollars, which Khan said also hindered trade.
Khan said that Pakistan is also working hard to cooperate with the international community to relax international restrictions on the banking system. In recent days, several senior executives of Pakistani financial institutions with offices in Afghanistan visited Kabul to see if the international restrictions would happen. Can it be improved. end.
The United States and other Western countries are unwilling to provide funds to the Taliban until the movement promises to uphold human rights, especially women’s rights.
Pakistan borders Afghanistan, hosting millions of Afghan refugees resulting from decades of conflict, and is concerned about the economic crisis in its neighboring countries. Taliban Prime Minister Imran Khan and other officials urged the international community not to isolate the Taliban government, saying that assistance should be provided to prevent economic collapse and refugee flows.
Pakistan has deep ties with the Taliban and is accused of supporting the organization because it has fought the US-backed government in Kabul for 20 years-Islamabad denies this allegation.
However, Pakistan has not yet formally recognized the Taliban-led government. Pakistan’s Ambassador Khan told Reuters that “the issue of formal recognition will arise later because Pakistan is part of the international community”.
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