Islamabad: Former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and senior diplomat Sardar Masood Khan has said that Pakistan must capitalise on its changing global perception to lay sustainable foundations for economic and industrial development.
In a televised interview, Sardar Masood Khan warned that history shows missed opportunities rarely return. He stressed the need to accelerate economic planning and project processing, adopt new and emerging technologies, and turn recent diplomatic and political successes into avenues for investment and growth.
He said Pakistan should not rely solely on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) but also open other doors for foreign investment. Praising Pakistan’s diplomatic achievements after heightened military tensions with India, he noted that major capitals including Washington now recognise Pakistan’s regional importance. Institutions such as the White House, State Department, Pentagon and CENTCOM view Pakistan as a key country, which opens not only strategic but also economic opportunities.
Sardar Masood Khan highlighted Prime Minister’s recent visit to China, which included meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, dispelling concerns that growing Pakistan-US ties could harm relations with Beijing. He said agreements worth 8.5 billion dollars were signed beyond CPEC Phase Two, covering IT, media, science and technology, Karakoram Highway realignment, railway projects and enhancing Gwadar Port’s international operations.
He added that Pakistan had undertaken significant diplomatic initiatives with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Gulf countries, while meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit would pave the way for deeper cooperation.
Responding to a question, Sardar Masood Khan said the current US administration’s policy of viewing Pakistan separately from India could provide the basis for durable, result-oriented relations, enjoying bipartisan support across key American institutions.
He concluded that it was vital to translate these diplomatic gains into economic outcomes by accelerating and streamlining national economic planning.
