ISLAMABAD, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the country has been taking actions to promote the blue economy to give impetus to trade and national development.
"With over 1,000 km of coastline and a position at the crossroads of vital sea lanes, Pakistan is uniquely positioned to harness the trillion-dollar global blue economy," the prime minister said while addressing an event on Monday.
He said that even tapping a fraction of this economy could be a real game-changer, adding that Pakistan's coastal trade already brings in nearly 7 billion U.S. dollars a year, underlining the need to further develop the sector to unlock its vast potential.
Terming the blue economy as Pakistan's new economic frontier, the prime minister said that efforts are afoot to transform the country's maritime sector into a driver of inclusive, sustainable economic growth while calling for synergy among the public and private sectors.
He added that the time has come to take the lead and make a unified national effort to transform Pakistan into a regional maritime powerhouse. ■
