In the Eighth Gwadar Book Festival, the University of Gwadar (UG), organized a session on “Great Power Rivalry or Cooperation? Gwadar, Pakistan, and Geo Economics,” on February 25th, 2023 in RCDC GWADAR. 

The keynote speaker was Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Other panelists at the discussion included: Dr. Aqdas Afzal, Program director Habib University, Mir Sher Baz Khetran Research Fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI),  The discussion was moderated by  PVC Dr. Syed Manzoor Ahmed, Pro Vice-Chancellor University of Gwadar.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said Pakistan was in a strategic location where huge transformations and transitions were taking place, the peaceful rise of China, and Pakistan endeavoring to be the hub of regional connectivity through CPEC, by making a transition from geopolitics to geo-economics.

Moreover, Senator Mushahid Hussain said after 42 years of war in Afghanistan, which affected Pakistan directly, the country cannot be a party to any new conflict, confrontation, or Cold War, as connectivity and cooperation are the need of the hour.

Senator Mushahid Hussain underlined the need for proactively promoting CPEC, which is the flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which he termed the most significant diplomatic and developmental initiative in the 21st Century. He further waits for that 
The axis of CPEC is Gwadar.

Program director Habib university Dr. Aqdas Afzal said that. The economy of the countries was also considered far away from the economy of the United States, but now China has achieved its economic development to a considerable extent.

Further, he said that "Development in Gwadar can be possible only when the people of Gwadar are made stakeholders in the development of Gwadar."

At the end of the session, there was a question-and-answer segment in which the participants asked questions to the panelists.
Gwadar University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Abdul Razzaq Sabir, Former President RCDC Gwadar Khuda Bakhsh Hashim, Dr. Badal Khan, political and social personalities, faculties, and students of the University were present.