Pakistan joins Ashgabat Agreement, Lapis Lazuli Corridor

[Muhammad Omar]

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday announced Pakistan's decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor while addressing a two-day Global Sustainable Transport Conference in the Turkmen capital.

The Ashgabat agreement is a transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and seeks to create an international transport and transit corridor.

The objective of the agreement is to facilitate the transport of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor seeks to foster transit and trade cooperation between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by reducing barriers facing transit trade.

It intends to develop a Custom Procedure Integration in the region.

"I would like to take this historic opportunity to announce our agreement in principle to join the Ashgabat Agreement as well as the Lapis Lazuli Corridor."

"I am positive [the Ashgabat Agreement] will be beneficial not only to Pakistan but also to the entire Central Asian and South Asian region and beyond."

The premier said "peaceful neighbourhood is a key pillar of [Pakistan's] policy", adding that without regional peace and stability "we will not be able to reap the benefits of regional connectivity and integration".

"Through integration of economies, markets and, more importantly cultures, which provide the doorway for peaceful co-existence, I have asked my relevant government ministers to approach the depository countries for an early start of negotiations in this behalf."

Referring to China's one-belt one-road initiative as a "game-changer", the PM said: "It aims to create the world's largest platform to integrate development of various regions in the Eurasian land mass."

He said the most promising element of this initiative is the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

"A package of multiple infrastructure and development projects that will boost connectivity in the region, help integrate South Asia, China, Central Asia and the Middle East and offer opportunities for hundreds of millions of people in this region."

 

[SBD-3]

Now that's what you call a master stroke in diplomacy.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Good initiative by Pakistan. It will help to increase economic activity in the region.

 

[Muhammad Omar]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1011449352316096

 

[Kompromat]

Well played

 

[Syed Taha Wajahat]

I hope we will not let india join it because it will ruin the agreement as we all know the two countries are not having friendly ties since 1947, so if india joins it than there will be disruption in trade a lot. We will not allow them to trade through Pakistan when they are killing our people. This agreement will bound Afghanistan to not be a lapdog of india or will face problems. But again it will only work if we have a peace deal in afghanistan or else consider it just a dream.

 

[krash]

Isolation......hurts.......so much.......

 

[graphican]

A good call - but unexpected one from one "Khao" Prime Minister. Ah sorry I forgot, this would freaking help him sell his steel-mill and sugar-mill stuff before somebody else sends something.

But regardless, a good move for the state of Pakistan.

 

[Path-Finder]

a very good decision indeed as long as we dont allow india into it all is well!

 

[DJ_Viper]

a very good decision indeed as long as we dont allow india into it all is well!

Sir, allowing India in or out will be up to the majority of member votes. But outside of that, this is a great step towards Pakistan's economic growth. It seems that even if you minus the Indian market, Pakistan now can access over 2 billion people through the CPEC and this trade route. That is some serious consumer base increase from a population of 220 million

 

[DJ_Viper]

Now that's what you call a master stroke in diplomacy.

Sir, can you post this as a new thread. I am not as powerful (rare for an American to admit )

http://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmo...s-indias-and-chinas-in-the-dust/#38b36c8f56cd


Unshaken by the rise in US interest rates, Pakistan’s equity markets continue to beat China’s and India’s markets by a wide margin. In the last twelve months, Global X MSCI MSCI +% Pakistan ETF was up 16%, beating India’s and China’s comparable ETF’s, which were in negative territory for the year – see table.

Index/Fund 12-month Performance
Global X MSCI Pakistan (NYSEAK) 16%
IShares China (NYSE:FXI) -1.5%
iShares S&P India 50 (NASDAQ:INDY) -3.24%
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (NYSE:EEM) 1.10%
Source: Finance.yahoo.com 11/23/2016

Index/Fund 12-month Performance
Global X MSCI Pakistan (NYSEAK) 20%
IShares China 9.80%
iShares S&P India 50 12.77%
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets


5.38%
Source: Finance.yahoo.com 9/14/2016

That’s contrary to what one would have expected. India has become more competitive in the global economy recently, rising by 16 rankings in 2016 to the 39thposition, while it is still at 122th position, near the bottom of the World Forum ranking—see table.

 

[SBD-3]

Sir, can you post this as a new thread. I am not as powerful (rare for an American to admit )

Not as "powerful" as you believe so. Most of these "labelled" Pakistanis are no better than you in status, they hold American,UK,German and Aussie Passports and only thing Pakistani that they have is that they are what we called "Pakistan origin". More extremist in their views because of being a byproduct of carefree societies.

I hope we will not let india join it because it will ruin the agreement as we all know the two countries are not having friendly ties since 1947, so if india joins it than there will be disruption in trade a lot. We will not allow them to trade through Pakistan when they are killing our people. This agreement will bound Afghanistan to not be a lapdog of india or will face problems. But again it will only work if we have a peace deal in afghanistan or else consider it just a dream.

Why wouldn't we? India joining it is their and forum's discretion. Stop seeing everything from a very narrow pair of lenses.

 

[DJ_Viper]

Not as "powerful" as you believe so. Most of these "labelled" Pakistanis are no better than you in status, they hold American,UK,German and Aussie Passports and only thing Pakistani that they have is that they are what we called "Pakistan origin". More extremist in their views because of being a byproduct of carefree societies.

Its all good. Do let me know when you post it, I'd like to see some good discussion on it. Thanks