'Tap into Central Asia for growth'

Express Tribune

14-04-2025

After evolving business-friendly strategies-cum-policies, Pakistan can promote and foster its rich cultural tourism, while deepening and strengthening bilateral ties with Central Asian states aimed at growing the national economy, economic nationalists said.
Undoubtedly, Pakistan, the land of pure multiculturalism, is blessed with rich tourism opportunities which have historic and holistic roots with Central Asia, the jewel of ancient civilization, traditions, and human wisdom.
Talking to The Express Tribune, they suggested that both federal and provincial governments of Pakistan, the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP), chambers of commerce, industrialists, and all other stakeholders should chalk out a holistic and comprehensive marketing plan for the further strengthening of cultural and tourism cooperation, consisting of promoting wedding ceremonies of obscenely rich people in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Kirshi and Fergana Valley, Turkistan, Almaty, Ashkhabad, Bishkek and Dushanbe, providing family values, full of privacy, Halal intimacy, healthy environment, immense safety and security, colourful geographies, natural beauty, comfortable hospitality, and comparatively lesser prices.
All the stakeholders should deeply study the Indian city Kerala model of family, corporate, insurance, and medical tourism in Central Asia, promoting its domestic tour and traveling operators' business, which must be replicated in brightening bilateral/trilateral cultural and tourism ties with Central Asian countries. Holding of annual performance awards of various chambers of commerce, films, PTV, private channels' award ceremonies, media's functions, and musical conferences should be arranged on a reciprocal basis. Even religious and ritual tourism would also be promoted.
When it comes to the rich economic potential of the Central Asian states, Pakistan can leverage Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan by evolving business-friendly strategies-cum-policies.
Many published reports of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), and Asian Development Bank (ADB) vividly reflect the huge economic potential of the Central Asian countries.
All countries have numerous natural resources like oil, gas, rare earth minerals, gold, copper, aluminium, and nuclear deposits instrumental for the rapid growth of South Asia, especially Pakistan, which must be explored and tapped as soon as possible.
Uzbekistan, being the most versatile and diversified country in terms of economy, investment, joint ventures, trans-regional connectivity, hybrid agriculture, textiles, garments, manufacturing, and renewables, has the ability and vision for promoting trans-regional connectivity through trade and business activities. Thus, policymakers of Pakistan must further strengthen the scope, utility, and expansion of bilateral trade instead of wasting their time, financial resources, and energies in Afghanistan.
A trilateral economic cooperation, trade consortium, banking and finance integration, qualitative manufacturing capacities, green cooperation, peaceful nuclear utilisations, military joint collaboration, production of lithium batteries, digitalisation, e-commerce, reciprocal trade houses, building of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and a joint development bank among Pakistan-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan should be promoted and implemented in the days to come.
Economic strategist and regional expert Dr Mehmoodul Hassan Khan said as far as the significance of Uzbekistan is concerned, the Republic of Uzbekistan has ancient civilisation, traditions, customs, and splendid human wisdom mesmerising the world for centuries. It remained very famous for its unmatched knowledge, connectivity, productivity, and constructive participation, acting as a connecting hub of cultures, civilisations, commerce, and true compassion on the ancient Silk Road.
He said Uzbekistan has the biggest population/human resources, largest cultural sites, shrines, tombs of star clergies, famous warriors, renowned writers, inventors, scholars, and natural, cultural, and tourism wonders having larger-than-life status and momentum, giving it a comparatively superior place in the entire Central Asia.
"Thus, further strengthening of bilateral cultural and tourism cooperation with Uzbekistan is indeed connecting ourselves with our own ancient roots," he said.
He said Uzbekistan is the Middle Corridor connecting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with South Caucasus, the greater Eurasia region, and Europe, presenting lots of mutually befitting propositions and win-win partnerships. Thus, Pakistan's government should prepare an innovative, integrated, interactive approach.
He said it is proposed that the formation of a cultural and tourism bank, a joint travelling and tour operator company, a joint marketing company, digital visa, and maintenance of direct flights in which Pakistani private airline companies must play a positive role arranging direct and connecting flights to Tashkent.