https://arab.news/6hmv8
- Pakistan and Turkmenistan will soon sign agreement in this regard, Pakistani state media says
- Both countries already working on TAPI gas pipeline, rail track and fiber connectivity projects
ISLAMABAD: Turkmenistan is set to become the first Central Asian country to gain access to Pakistan’s strategically positioned Gwadar port under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Pakistani state media reported on Sunday.
The Gwadar port lies at the heart of CPEC, a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative under which Beijing has pledged more than $60 billion in infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan.
It aims to connect China to the Arabian Sea through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports in Pakistan and help Islamabad expand and modernize its economy.
Pakistan and Turkmenistan will soon sign an agreement in this regard, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The government has constituted a committee to examine the draft agreement between Gwadar Port and Turkmenbashi Port under CPEC,” the report read.
Pakistan and Turkmenistan are already working on various joint projects, including Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline, rail track and fiber connectivity, to connect South and Central Asia.
Cash-strapped Pakistan hopes to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting the landlocked Central Asian republics with the rest of the world.