ISLAMABAD; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on Qatari investors to explore fresh avenues of collaboration under Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) framework, according to Radio Pakistan.
The SIFC, established in 2023, aims to streamline and promote foreign investments in Pakistan. The prime minister extended the invitation during a meeting with Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, in Islamabad on Friday.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral trade and investment cooperation and highlighted key sectors for partnership, including energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, tourism, and infrastructure development.
He expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in Pakistan-Qatar relations, describing them as rooted in shared faith, values, and mutual respect. The prime minister also appreciated Qatar’s constructive role as a key regional mediator, particularly in facilitating recent talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan that led to a ceasefire following days of border hostilities.
PM Shehbaz conveyed Pakistan’s gratitude for Qatar’s continued support on regional and global issues and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to enhancing cooperation at regional and multilateral levels.
In response, Sheikh Faisal Al Thani reiterated Qatar’s resolve to deepen economic engagement with Pakistan and delivered warm greetings from the Qatari leadership. Both sides agreed to strengthen coordination to turn shared understandings into concrete outcomes, including improved facilitation for business-to-business partnerships and investment projects.
The Qatari minister was in Islamabad to co-chair the sixth session of the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) on Economic, Trade, and Technical Cooperation, which concluded on Thursday.
During the session, Pakistan and Qatar signed a protocol to formalize commitments across several sectors, reaffirming Qatar’s pledge to invest $3 billion in Pakistan through the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) or other designated entities.
The protocol outlines efforts to enhance direct engagement between the QIA and Pakistan’s SIFC to simplify investment procedures and create a business-friendly environment for Qatari investors. The SIFC will act as the primary platform for promoting and facilitating investments in key sectors.
Sheikh Faisal Al Thani noted that the JMC session served as an effective platform to review ongoing cooperation and explore new initiatives aimed at advancing mutually beneficial partnerships.
