Iqbal calls for creating CAREC knowledge hub

According to Express Tribune, federal planning minister Ahsan Iqbal has proposed turning the CAREC Institute into a trusted regional hub for sharing knowledge. He made the case at a Governing Council meeting in Ulaanbaatar, arguing that member states should now exchange lessons rather than focus only on physical links. Iqbal pointed to a quarter century of work on highways, rail, power connections and trade routes as the foundation for this next stage.

His plan includes a living online platform and expert directory holding regional data, policy instruments, project reviews and field experience, so officials can quickly see what has succeeded elsewhere. He also suggested a peer exchange facility linking officials who face comparable difficulties in trade facilitation, customs digitisation, logistics, renewable power, disaster response, farming and workforce training. He wants the institute's output to respond to demand, stay tied to policy choices and be judged by real-world results.

Iqbal said Pakistan, preparing to take over the CAREC chairmanship in 2027, would make knowledge exchange central to its agenda, working with members, the regional institute and the Asian Development Bank. He offered the Pakistan Single Window as a first example for peer exchange, and said Pakistani universities and research bodies would be encouraged to join the regional knowledge network. He also backed closer ties on coordinated border control, digital trade platforms that work together, and climate risk data shared among members.