ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif did not attend the inaugural session of the two-day Regional Transport Ministers’ Conference held in Islamabad, an event largely seen as the brainchild of Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, who also heads the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
According to official sources, the federal government had shown little enthusiasm for the conference, but it went ahead nonetheless to avoid displeasing a key coalition partner. The absence of the Prime Minister from the high-profile opening further underscored the political unease surrounding the event.
Abdul Aleem Khan, who conceived and hosted the conference, appeared to have used the international forum to project his party’s profile. The conference arrangements were reportedly supervised by Punjab MPA Shoaib Siddiqui, a close aide and fellow IPP member, despite his having no official role in the communications or transport sectors. Similarly, the attendance of IPP MNA Aoun Chaudhry at the inaugural session also raised eyebrows, as he holds no relevant portfolio.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar inaugurated the event alongside Abdul Aleem Khan, with Federal Ministers Hanif Abbasi and Junaid Anwaar also in attendance. Transport ministers and senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives participated, along with representatives from the Asian Development Bank, ECO, IRU, and various UN agencies.
Addressing the inaugural session, Mr Dar said Pakistan’s strategic location made it a natural hub for regional connectivity, linking South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and China. He emphasized the government’s vision of transforming geographic links into economic corridors through road, rail, maritime, and digital integration.
In his remarks, Abdul Aleem Khan said the region could be turned into a “dynamic hub of trade and connectivity” through collective efforts. He noted that Pakistan’s recent investments in road infrastructure and logistics had positioned it as a key regional transit point. The conference, he added, was a platform to identify priority transport routes, harmonize regulations, and explore joint ventures in infrastructure and logistics.
Following the session, Abdul Aleem Khan and Ishaq Dar visited the RTMC Expo where major transport and infrastructure projects were showcased. Foreign dignitaries from Iran, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and other regional countries attended the exhibition, while officials from Russia and Uzbekistan joined via video link.
Despite its official branding as a major regional initiative, the event’s political overtones and the conspicuous absence of the Prime Minister have sparked quiet discussion within government circles about its true purpose.
