By Asim Shahzad
President Asif Ali Zardari has reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promote the creation of safe, sustainable, efficient and environment-friendly transportation system in the country.
He said that Pakistan would work closely with China to achieve the goals of sustainable development that would usher in an era of peace and prosperity.
The President expressed these views while addressing the Global Sustainable Transport Forum-2024, through a video message, held in Beijing from 25-26 September 2024.
While addressing the Forum, the President emphasized that the world needed resilient infrastructure for efficient, environment-friendly and low-carbon transport solutions to fulfil the needs of the people. He appreciated China’s lead role in promoting and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly recognizing the critical importance of the transport sector.
Highlighting the initiatives taken by the government, the President apprised the Forum that Pakistan had introduced pink buses specifically for women to provide a safe, comfortable and accessible mode of public transportation. He further underlined that rural accessibility to all-weather roads in Pakistan had witnessed significant improvement, reaching 92%. Improved rural accessibility could potentially contribute to promoting sustainable development as well as providing essential services to the rural population, he added.
The President apprised the participants that Pakistan was facing the challenges of sustainable maintenance of its infrastructure and the effects of climate change.
He highlighted that over the last five years, devastating floods, heavy rainfall and extreme weather conditions have severely damaged Pakistan’s transport infrastructure including roads, rails, bridges and other critical transport networks that isolated millions of people, particularly in rural areas.
The President stated that Pakistan deeply valued China’s role in promoting sustainable development and its contribution to regional and global economic prosperity.
He said that Pakistan extended its support for the development of sustainable transport cooperation among the Transport Authorities of the Member States and appreciated the initiatives taken by China under the leadership of President Xi.
