ISLAMABAD, Mar 11 /DNA/ – President, Arif Alvi, said that Pakistan eagerly needed a change in multi-modal logistics in view of the growing demand such as regional connectivity and the projects under CPEC.

“The regional countries are eager to transport their goods to Gwadar port, and hence Pakistan needs to put in place a smooth supply-chain system at the earliest,” he stated in his address here at the First Multi-modal Logistics Conference 2022.

The President stressed that to fully tap the trading opportunities offered by increasing regional integration, Pakistan needed to reform its logistic infrastructure besides developing human resources.

President Alvi mentioned that Uzbekistan had shown keen interest in transporting its commodities through Pakistan, while Turkmenistan and Iran were interested in the supply of natural gas.

In this regard, he remarked that an efficient cargo system in Pakistan was vital to substantially improve the supply-chain system, thus benefiting both the producer and consumer countries.

“Pakistan has immense opportunities knocking at its doorstep and we need to take advantage of the implementation of a multimodal logistic strategy,” the President added.

He contended that the government had done a splendid job in improving the farming, industry, and textile sectors during the pandemic, however, mentioned the need for a smooth supply chain system.

To bridge gaps between the manufacturer and consumer, he opined, the policies needed to be formulated in consultation with government functionaries and the private sector.

President Alvi emphasized that getting adjusted to changing trends, overcoming supply chain disruptions, and relying on two or more modes of transportation could substantially improve the logistics system.

He maintained that multimodal transportation required more communication and collaboration and emphasized training to turn the country’s huge youth bulge into a productive human resource to achieve the goals.

Dr Ishrat Hussain, former Adviser to Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity on the occasion, said inefficiency of the supply chain could be overcome through the implementation of reforms in institutions.

He noted that the reforms carried out in Civil Aviation Authority, Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Railways, and National Highway Authority were aimed at the improvement of consumer services.

To improve the efficiency of public organizations, he said it was important for the ministries to work on policies only, while the regulatory bodies could function autonomously.

He stressed a level-playing field for all stakeholders, including the private sector, relating to the supply chain to benefit the consumer.