PESHAWAR: Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on finance Muzzamil Aslam has said that China’s extraordinary economic development offers a model worth emulating for Pakistan.
“The Chinese model demonstrates that the mere availability of natural resources doesn’t guarantee a nation’s prosperity. Instead, genuine success lies in transforming natural resources, human potential and geographical advantages into sustainable economic growth through effective planning,” Mr Aslam told a ceremony held here to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and its National Day.
The ceremony, held at Chinese Cultural Centre ‘China Window,’ was attended by acting Consul General of Iran Mohammad Hassan Moazzami, MPA Mehar Sultana, President Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Junaid Altaf, administrator of the centre Amjad Aziz Malik, representatives of the business community, journalists, officials of various organisations and prominent personalities from different walks of life.
A cake was also cut to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Founding anniversary of Chinese republic marked
Congratulating the Chinese government, leadership and people on their National Day on behalf of the government and people of KP, Mr Aslam, who showed up as the chief guest, said China’s National Day was also an occasion of joy for the people of Pakistan, as China had remained Pakistan’s trusted and longstanding friend for more than seven decades.
He said China’s remarkable progress had demonstrated that the possession of natural resources alone was not sufficient to ensure prosperity.
‘What mattered was how effectively a country utilised its resources through human resource development, policy continuity, modern technology, industrialisation and long-term economic planning,’ he said.
The aide to the CM said Pakistan needed to learn from China’s experience in transforming natural resources into real economic strength.
Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he described it as a historic milestone in Pakistan-China economic relations.
“The CPEC should not be viewed merely in terms of highways, power plants and major infrastructure projects. Instead, its broader objective is to strengthen economic connectivity, promote industrial activity, expand trade and integrate different regions of Pakistan into the wider regional economic system,” he said.
Mr Aslam invited Chinese investors to explore investment opportunities in the province, saying that enormous potential exists in energy, minerals, tourism, agriculture, information technology, infrastructure and industry. He appreciated the role of China Window in promoting people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and China.
Acting Iranian consul general Hassan Moazzami congratulated the government and people of China on their National Day, saying China has emerged as an important force in regional and global economic cooperation and that greater connectivity, trade and people-to-people interaction across the region could create new opportunities for shared prosperity, stability and development in Asia.
He said the countries of the region were rich in human and natural resources and greater economic and cultural interaction could open new avenues of cooperation for their peoples.
Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026
