ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Riyadh from 27 to 29 October to attend the Ninth Future Investment Initiative (FII9), leading a high-level delegation to explore avenues for strengthening economic and investment cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. The FII9 will convene global leaders, investors, policymakers, and innovators to explore the theme, …

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed a high-level Saudi business delegation on Thursday and highlighted 12 priority sectors for investment in the province. The high-level business delegation from Saudi Arabia, led by Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council Chairman Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al Saud, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to discuss trade, investment and collaboration. The development followed Pakistan …

GAWADAR: The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and a Chinese company agreed to boost investments at the port, the maritime affairs ministry said on Tuesday. Pakistan recently increased efforts on the commercialisation of the Gwadar Port, which was built more than a decade ago but remains a non-starter. In January, the government sought the private sector’s support in routing their cargoes …

BEIJING: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong on Saturday to discuss the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), according to an official release. Both officials reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, with a particular focus on industrial development and business-to-business cooperation under CPEC Phase II. Iqbal conveyed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s goodwill …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday ordered the establishment of separate immigration counters at all international airports to facilitate foreign passengers and boost tourism and investment. A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office said the decision was taken to “promote tourism in the country, ensure continuity of business activities and facilitate foreign investment”. It added that the establishment …

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed a strong interest in expanding its investments in Pakistan, specifically in shipping, port efficiency, logistics, and customs digitisation. The two countries signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) focused on cooperation across several sectors. These MoUs, signed with the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, cover partnerships with Pakistan’s Ministries of Maritime Affairs, Aviation, Railways, …

DOHA: Aiming to secure more investment, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday invited Qatari investors to explore Pakistan’s various economic sectors during his official visit to the Gulf country. After securing investment pledges worth $600 million during his Saudi Arabia trip, the prime minister is in Doha on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad …

WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has transitioned from a government-to-government investment model in its first phase to a business-to-business engagement in its second phase. He made these remarks in an interview with the US edition of China’s CGTN network. He previously indicated that Pakistan could repay its Chinese debt only after successfully …

By Mian Abrar It is shocking for most of the foreign visitors who have only heard of Xinjiang before to step out of Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport and see a completely transformed and bustling city waiting for tourists. Visits at several locations across Ürümqi indicate that Ürümqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is one of the most-developed …

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping pledged on Thursday to step up China’s support across debt-laden Africa with funding of nearly $51 billion over three years, backing for more infrastructure projects, and the creation of at least 1 million jobs. China was ready to step up cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, Xi told delegates from more than …