THE China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) stands at a pivotal stage in its evolution, moving beyond its foundational role in infrastructure development toward a broader vision of integrated economic cooperation. What began as an ambitious initiative to strengthen connectivity between China and Pakistan has created a platform for energy development, transport networks, industrial cooperation and regional integration. Its next phase offers an opportunity to transform these foundations into sustainable economic growth, greater productive capacity and shared prosperity.

Importantly, the value of CPEC is not only in the roads, power projects and transport infrastructure that have been built under the CPEC, but also in the economic opportunities that these assets can enable. The future of the corridor will increasingly rely on how Pakistan can leverage better connectivity for industrial production, export, modernization of agriculture and technological innovation and jobs. CPEC in this transition can go beyond being a conduit for two nations to become an integrated economic ecosystem of enterprises, markets, skills and investment.

Infrastructure is the initial step on the road to economic integration, not the end. Roads and highways lower travel time, energy projects enable industry to operate and better mobility of goods and people enable roads and highways to operate. These assets can have more broad-based economic impacts when combined with effective logistics, sound institutions and thriving industries. CPEC has thus offered an important platform for this transformation through investments in energy, transport and connectivity projects.

The next opportunity is to maximize the economic benefits of these investments by integrating it with the domestic production and export potential of Pakistan. This implies........

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