Islamabad: Kashgar is developing fast and becoming hub of trade activity, said Ashraf Azeem, President Institute of Regional Studies.
He said this while speaking at the discussion held here on his visit to Kashgar. He was in Kashgar to take part in the eighth Kashgar Central and South Asia Commodity Fair. The trade fair started in 2005 and has become an annual feature in promoting regional trade. This year the trade fair has attracted more than 10,000 businessmen, including representatives of trade and commerce associations from South and Central Asian countries. Pakistan was represented at the fair along with Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan and other Central Asian States. It is estimated that this year’s fair has earned about 40 billion Yuan — about 6.33 billion dollars — in contracts on investment in Kashgar’s mining, new energy, tourism and agricultural sectors. This amounts to 20 per cent increase over the last year.
Referring to the importance of Kashgar, Ashraf Azeem said it is a major city of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, which has served as an important link in the ancient Silk trade route that connected China with the outside world. Kashgar has the advantage of connecting Europe and Asia with five ports and eight neighbouring countries. It is a bridgehead that connects China with the West. The trade fair would strengthen ties between Central and South Asian countries.
Xinjiang is a Muslim dominated region of China with Kashgar region having a population of 4 million, over 80 per cent of them being Uygurs. The region that borders with Pakistani region of Gilgit-Baltistan is an important part of the China’s focus on development of Western China. As part of the 20-year development plan that China launched in 2000, Beijing is rapidly developing the infrastructure of the region including the construction of Kashgar Economic Development zone which would help industrialise and modernise the area.
According to Mr Ashraf, the development plan also include construction of railway and road connecting Xinjiang with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. This would make the region central to regional economic connectivity. Pakistan should take advantage of the economic growth of the region and connect it with economic activity in its own bordering areas contiguous to the region.
Kashgar has a rich history and culture going back to ancient times, said Ashraf Azeem. It has great cultural affinity with the bordering region of Pakistan. He dispelled the perception that Muslims in the area are being maltreated. A new mega city is coming up that would change the face of the city and uplift the living standards of the people. Modern houses are being built with all amenities of life. Once the region takes off economically, he maintained, it will greatly benefit the Muslim community of the region. He however, pointed out that language continues to be a great barrier in people to people contacts and efforts should be made remove this strategic communication gap.
Pakistan and China are close allies and share their vision of peace and development. He strongly felt that Xinjiang is China’s upcoming region that will grow very fast in the coming years. A rail link between our two countries is being planned which would shorten distances and create new transportation, trade and energy corridors. The enhanced transportation links between Pakistan and China will launch modern silk routes passing through the adjoining territories of China and Pakistan.www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-120315-Kashgar-fast-becoming-international-trading-hub
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