Pakistan has stepped up its bid to become a regional digital gateway, urging Central Asian states and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fast-track work on a proposed Central Asia–Pakistan digital corridor that would route high-speed internet traffic through Pakistani gateways to global networks.
The proposal was highlighted at the 24th Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministerial Conference in Bishkek, where regional ministers gathered to discuss trade, connectivity and digital integration. Representing Pakistan, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan framed the corridor as a strategic opportunity not just for Pakistan, but for all CAREC members looking to modernize their economies.
He called for the early creation of a joint working group under CAREC’s digital agenda to begin work on the corridor’s feasibility, design and financing, emphasizing that Pakistan is “fully open” to close collaboration with ADB and interested member countries.
Read more: PTA issued 177 telecom licenses in FY24 to boost internet connectivity across Pakistan
Pakistan positioning as a southern digital hub
Khan underlined that Pakistan has been quietly laying the groundwork to serve as a southern connectivity hub for Central Asia, combining physical trade routes with digital ones.
He cited several recent reforms and systems that strengthen Pakistan’s readiness:
• The Land Port Authority Act, which centralizes border management under a single body to make cross-border movement more efficient and predictable.
• The expansion of the TIR/eTIR system, allowing sealed, largely paperless transit of goods across multiple borders — a key factor for modern supply chains.
• The rollout of electronic certificates via Pakistan Single Window, which cuts down on paperwork and delays in customs and trade procedures.
• The increasing use of RAAST, Pakistan’s real-time digital payment network, enabling faster and more secure domestic and cross-border commercial transactions.
Together, he argued, these measures show that Pakistan isn’t just talking about connectivity — it is already digitally upgrading its trade, finance and transit systems.
Digital corridor in a changing region
For Central Asian economies, which are landlocked and heavily reliant on a limited number of transit routes, the idea of a reliable, secure digital corridor through Pakistan comes at a time of shifting trade patterns, complex border dynamics and growing demand for resilient digital infrastructure.
Routing data through Pakistan’s internet gateways could provide shorter, more diversified paths to global networks, reduce dependence on a handful of existing routes and support the rollout of e-commerce, fintech, logistics platforms and digital public services across the region.
Climate, connectivity and shared vulnerability
At the conference, Abdul Aleem Khan also welcomed the ADB’s new Climate and Sustainability Project Preparatory Fund (CSPPF), which will help CAREC members design and structure climate-related projects.
Speaking from Pakistan’s experience as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, he kept on urging development partners to adopt climate financing models that manifests different levels of vulnerability and to prioritize adaptation, especially for countries frequently hit by
- Floods
- Heatwaves
- Extreme weather
He stressed that for Pakistan, digital connectivity and climate resilience are not separate agendas: better data, smarter infrastructure, and faster payments can all support more effective disaster response, early warning systems and climate-smart planning.
By pushing the digital corridor idea and advocating fair climate financing in the same forum, Pakistan is positioning itself as both a connector and a frontline state—linking Central Asia to the world while enquiring that the most exposed countries get the support they need to adapt and grow in a warming, increasingly digital age.