A major question mark has surfaced over the performance of the Ministry of Communications after sixteen out of twenty-six invited transport ministers — including China’s — failed to attend the Regional Transport Ministers Conference held in Islamabad despite receiving formal invitations.
According to official records, invitations were extended to 26 countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, the UAE, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, and Kenya.
However, only ten countries — Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives — sent their transport ministers to participate in the event.
The low level of participation, particularly the absence of major regional players such as China, Russia, and the UAE, has raised eyebrows within policy circles and cast doubt on the ministry’s diplomatic outreach and coordination efforts.
The conference, an initiative of Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, was aimed at promoting regional cooperation in transport and logistics. However, sources said the event fell short of expectations, reflecting weak engagement and limited international interest in the initiative despite substantial political and financial investment in its organization.
Observers noted that the absence of immediate neighbours, particularly China and Afghanistan, was concerning. Pakistan’s regional connectivity ambitions hinge on cooperation with these two countries — China being a key partner in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the Belt and Road Initiative, and Afghanistan serving as a gateway to Central Asia.
While Afghanistan’s absence was attributed to strained bilateral relations, the non-participation of China has sparked questions about the ministry’s diplomatic performance and coordination with key partners.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer to the Federal Minister for Communications, Gohar, said that countries unable to send their transport ministers were represented by their respective ambassadors. He maintained that the event was “quite successful.”
