LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent trip to China is set to energize the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and boost bilateral ties, enhancing investor relations, business growth, and people-to-people contact.
This was the consensus at a panel discussion titled “PM Shehbaz Sharif’s Visit to China and its Impact on Pakistan,” hosted by the Press Information Department (PID) at its regional office in Lahore on Sunday.
The discussion featured insights from prominent journalists and experts including Salman Ghani, Saleem Bukhari, Ayesha Ashfaq, Mohammad Mehdi, and Najam Wali Khan, with PID Director General Bushra Bashir also in attendance. The panel explored the political and economic impacts of revitalizing CPEC for Pakistan’s advancement.
Ayesha Ashfaq, Head of the Department of Development Communications at Punjab University, kicked off the discussion by detailing the positive expectations from the PM’s visit, noting the signing of 32 new agreements and MoUs.
She highlighted the necessity of clear communication strategies through both mainstream and social media to convey the significance of CPEC to the public and ensure the success of future projects.
Saleem Bukhari, a senior journalist, focused on the importance of the IT sector highlighted in the MoUs, predicting it will play a crucial role in Pakistan’s future development.
Najam Wali Khan, a broadcast journalist, linked economic stability with political stability and emphasised the need for robust measures to counter misinformation and build public trust for CPEC’s effectiveness.
Mohammad Mehdi, a foreign affairs expert, stressed the need for capacity building to effectively implement CPEC projects.
Salman Ghani praised the PID’s initiative in organising the panel and called for more such discussions at the parliamentary level to aid informed decision-making.
The session concluded with a unanimous view that PM Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China would serve as a catalyst for the next phase of CPEC, potentially ushering Pakistan into a new era of economic prosperity by strengthening various bilateral engagements.
