Pakistan's Pitch for Expanding China's Belt and Road Initiative at SCO Meeting

Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, advocates for the expansion of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the SCO meeting in Islamabad. The BRI aims to enhance infrastructure connectivity across regions, though it has faced criticism for increasing debt in developing countries.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the expansion of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), underscoring its potential to bolster regional cooperation. Sharif made the appeal during a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Islamabad, attended by officials from 11 nations, including China, Russia, and India.

The BRI, a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan connecting Asia to Europe and Africa, is viewed by some as China's strategic tool for extending its geopolitical influence. Despite criticism over its potential to burden developing nations with unsustainable debt, the initiative continues to receive significant attention, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of the BRI.

During the high-profile SCO event, Sharif highlighted CPEC's role in promoting cooperation among SCO member states, which collectively account for 40% of the world's population. The meeting, attended by seven prime ministers, including China's Li Qiang, also emphasized the importance of stability in Afghanistan for unlocking regional trade opportunities.

(With inputs from agencies.)