On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Dr. Erfa Iqbal, Commissioner Inland Revenue, former CEO Punjab Board of Investment & Trade addressed the participants of 33 SMC on “CPEC as a Harbinger of Regional Connectivity: Its Strategic and Economic Ramifications”. She informed that CPEC was conceived as a Belt & Road initiative. Belt is the land route from China to Central Asia to Europe, while Road is the Maritime route from China to South East Asia to Africa and all the way to Europe. She mentioned how CPEC has been criticized as a New-New World Order. But actually, it is a game changer for Pakistan- it is one economic corridor having many doors including industrial development and global value chain, agricultural modernization, Gwadar Oil City and Blue economy, poverty alleviation along with regional connectivity. The concept is for developing countries to capture the labour-intensive industry relocating from China and follow the flying geese pattern for their economic development. This creates a win-win situation for all. In the end the Guest Speaker stressed upon the need to reposition CPEC in the light of South-South cooperation and economic growth model based on comparative advantages. She also highlighted the importance of one window operation, visa facilitation and investment incentive in order to reap the benefits of this BRI initiative.