ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar emphasized the enduring strength of the Pak-China relationship, describing it as a bond tested by time and fortified by trust, during the launch of the Pakistan Digital Economic Centre in Islamabad. The initiative is expected to enhance bilateral ties and offer opportunities for the global south through the emerging Pakistan-China digital corridor.

According to Radio Pakistan, Ishaq Dar highlighted the substantial contributions of Chinese companies to fiber connectivity between Pakistan and China, establishing a digital corridor. He noted that the partnership is evolving from traditional infrastructure to digital networks, marking a significant shift towards digital connectivity and economic development as both nations enter a new phase in the digital age.

Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja, speaking at the ceremony, discussed the government’s efforts to transform Pakistan into a digital society, economy, and governance model under the Digital Nation Pakistan Act passed last year. She projected that digitizing Pakistan’s industry could potentially increase the country’s GDP by five to seven percent, translating to an additional twenty to thirty billion dollars by 2030. Pakistan currently boasts over two hundred million mobile subscribers and 157 million internet users.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan also addressed the gathering, stating that the government is implementing significant structural reforms aimed at turning Pakistan into an export-oriented, industrially competitive, and investment-friendly economy.