ISLAMABAD — The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a historical opportunity for Pakistan to uplift its economy, Talat Shabbir, director of China-Pakistan Study Center at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a seminar titled “Regional and Global Imperatives of Pakistan-China Relations,” Shabbir said China has always helped Pakistan through thick and thin, and CPEC has strengthened the bilateral relations because the common people of Pakistan are getting the direct benefit of the strong relations in the form of job and business opportunities.

The expert said peace in Afghanistan will further enhance the scope of CPEC, and Pakistan and China will be able to get connected to Central Asian countries through it.

“CPEC is all about connectivity and integration within Pakistan and to the outside world. The connectivity offered by CPEC through road infrastructure will not only enhance trade within the country by shortening the distances within Pakistan but also enhance the country’s trade relations to the outside world,” he added.

Shabbir added that several Western countries are making false propaganda against CPEC by spreading rumors, but the people of Pakistan firmly support the project as they are already reaping the benefits of the early-harvest projects of CPEC.