KARACHI: China has signed fresh investment agreements worth billions of dollars with Pakistan and is poised to invest up to $10 billion in the near future, Federal Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said on Thursday, signalling renewed global confidence in Pakistan’s economy and its long-term growth prospects.
In an exclusive interview, the minister said international attention was increasingly turning towards Pakistan, with expectations of broad-based foreign direct investment (FDI) across multiple sectors in the coming years. He disclosed that new joint venture agreements worth $1.5bn have been finalised between Pakistan and China at the government-to-government level.
Beyond these agreements, Sheikh said China has also signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth around $9bn in key sectors including agriculture, automotive manufacturing and minerals, indicating a strong push towards large-scale industrial and resource-based cooperation.
Highlighting private-sector engagement, the minister said a 300-member Pakistani trade delegation recently visited China to attract further Chinese investment and expand business-to-business linkages.
Sheikh also outlined the government’s plans to strengthen connectivity for strategic projects, saying the Reko Diq mining project would be linked to Karachi via Chagai through a dedicated railway line and a new highway, forming a specialised economic corridor. Around $7 million would be arranged from international financial institutions for the development of this infrastructure, he added.
Referring to the defence sector, the minister said that following the success of Bunyan-un-Marsoos, global demand for Pakistan’s fighter aircraft had increased, with several countries expected to place orders in the near future.
Looking ahead, Sheikh said the agriculture and mining sectors were expected to attract the largest share of foreign investment, positioning them as the main drivers of Pakistan’s next phase of economic growth.
