KARACHI: A high-level Acumen delegation of board members and global investors will visit Pakistan next month to meet government officials and private stakeholders, the finance ministry said on Tuesday, in a move seen as a sign of renewed foreign interest in the South Asian nation’s economy.
Pakistan is seeking to restore investor confidence after a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout approved last September stabilized the rupee, eased fears of default and improved foreign reserves.
Officials have since been pitching the country as a destination for green and impact capital, hoping visits by international investors and new deals signed can showcase the shift.
“A high-level Acumen delegation of Acumen Board members and global investors will be visiting Pakistan next month to engage with key stakeholders in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, in light of the country’s improving macroeconomic indicators and forward-looking trajectory,” the finance ministry statement said.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who met Acumen Pakistan’s leadership this week, including CEO Dr. Ayesha Khan, welcomed the planned visit and assured government support for investment initiatives aligned with the country’s development agenda.
Acumen also briefed the minister on the progress of its $90 million Agriculture Resilience Fund, a blended finance facility designed to channel capital into climate adaptation projects in farming. The fund is focused on strengthening food security, promoting climate-smart farming and supporting rural livelihoods.
Pakistan, among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, has seen its agriculture-dependent economy repeatedly battered by floods, droughts and erratic rainfall. The 2022 super floods submerged a third of the country, devastated crops and livestock, and highlighted the need for long-term adaptation financing.
The agriculture sector makes up nearly 20 percent of GDP and employs about 40 percent of Pakistan’s workforce, underscoring the stakes for policymakers seeking both economic stability and climate resilience.
No need to temper aggression, captains say before India-Pakistan clash
Sept. 14 game will be first cricket match between the sides since four days of military conflict in May this year
Reigning 20-overs world champions India are favorites to retain title, Pakistan are on high having beaten Afghanistan
Updated 53 sec ago
Reuters
DUBAI: India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Agha will not tell their teammates to temper aggression when the arch-rivals clash in a geopolitically-charged Asia Cup contest in Dubai on Sunday.
It will be the first cricket match between the sides since four days of military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May this year.
While players from both sides have shared cordial relations over the years despite geopolitical realities, both the captains were asked if they would instruct their players to dial down their aggression considering the larger context.
“Aggression (is) always there when we take the field,” a relaxed-looking Suryakumar said at the captains’ pre-tournament media interaction on Tuesday.
“Without (some degree of) aggression, I don’t think you can play the sport. I’m really excited to take the field.”
(L-R) Oman's captain Jatinder Singh, Hong Kong captain Yasim Murtaza, Pakistan captain Salman Agha, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan, India's captain Surya Kumar Yadhav, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka, Bangladesh captain Litton Das and UAE captain Muhammad Waseem, along with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi attend a press conference of the DP World Asia Cup 2025, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 9, 2025. (AFP)
Opposite number Salman also found it unnecessary to try and curb a player’s natural aggression as long as it did not spill over the game’s confines.
“You don’t need to say anything to any player because every individual is different,” said Salman.
“If someone wants to be aggressive in the field, they are more than welcome to do that.
“When it comes to fast bowlers, they are always aggressive and you can’t stop them because that’s what keeps them going.
“So from my side, there is no instruction to anyone as long as it stays in the ground.”
While reigning 20-overs world champions India are the firm favorites to retain their title, Pakistan are on a high having beaten Afghanistan in the final of a tri-series, also involving hosts United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.
India have not played T20 Internationals since the home series against England in February but Suryakumar would not call his team undercooked.
“Well, if your preparations are great then you are certainly confident when you take the field,” he said.
“Yes, we are playing after quite a while but we came here three-four days back and we had a good time as a team together. Really looking forward to this tournament.”
ISLAMABAD: A delegation of investors from the UAE explored investment opportunities in real estate, tourism and hotels and hospitality industry in Islamabad, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) said in a statement this week.
The press release followed a meeting between CDA officials, including its chairman and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, and a delegation of UAE investors at the authority’s headquarters. Both sides discussed potential investment opportunities and projects in Islamabad, the CDA said.
“The UAE investors were briefed on various sectors and projects, including the hotel and hospitality industry, commercial projects, real estate and tourism,” the CDA said on Monday. “The briefing highlighted that the city of Islamabad offers excellent investment opportunities in the hotel industry, real estate sector and tourism.”
The CDA officials informed the UAE delegation that the authority had developed “robust” financial and operational models to secure investors’ capital in Islamabad’s commercial projects. They said feasibility studies for tourism projects, such as a theme park and a cable car project, have been completed.
Randhawa said the CDA is taking comprehensive measures to provide maximum incentives and facilities for investors. He highlighted that renowned consultancy firms and consultants have already conducted feasibility studies to make these investment projects viable.
The UAE investors expressed deep interest in various investment opportunities in Islamabad, the CDA said.
“The purpose of the meeting was to promote foreign investment in Islamabad and implement international standard projects for the development of the city,” the statement said.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the Gulf country’s foreign ministry.
ISLAMABAD: Senior officials of Pakistan and Turkiye on Tuesday pledged to deepen defense and economic ties, agreeing on new initiatives in energy, technology and agriculture during a ministerial meeting in Islamabad.
The joint ministerial commission’s 16th meeting was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Turkiye’s Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler. The engagement is a sign of growing cooperation between both nations, who have resolved recently to enhance defense, economic and investment relations, and announced plans to expand bilateral trade to $5 billion.
“An agreement has been reached to enhance cooperation in renewable energy, oil, gas, and LNG sectors,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.
Khan said defense cooperation is the hallmark of Pakistan’s ties with Turkiye, noting that the two sides had held discussions on boosting defense technology, joint production, and capacity building cooperation.
“Agriculture, food security, and health have been identified as new areas of cooperation,” the statement added.
The Pakistani commerce ministry said special emphasis was placed on boosting cooperation in IT, e-commerce, fintech, and artificial intelligence. Both sides also announced collaboration in workforce, media, culture, and tourism sectors, while Pakistan said it would facilitate Turkish investors in its special economic zones.
“Both sides resolved to transform Pakistan–Türkiye ties into a productive economic partnership,” the statement said.
Pakistan and Turkiye have moved closer since Ankara’s public support for Islamabad during its four-day skirmish with India in May. The military forces of the two Muslim-majority countries have since then resolved to forge stronger ties in defense and trade amid regional tensions.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Güler arrived in Pakistan in July for high-level discussions with political and military leaders. The visit was described by Pakistan’s foreign office as a sign of “deepening strategic ties” with Ankara. It said the visit included consultations on regional stability, trade expansion, and defense modernization.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday discussed enhanced economic and regional connectivity with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, saying Islamabad was keen to secure overland access to Central Asia and onward to Europe through road and rail corridors.
Pakistan was among the first nations to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence in December 1991, with formal diplomatic ties established in February 1992 during President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s visit to Islamabad.
Relations between the two countries are rooted in shared Islamic heritage and a growing strategic partnership, with Pakistan offering the landlocked Central Asian republics access to southern seaports for global trade.
Nurtleu arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a two-day visit, accompanied by Kazakhstan’s transport and deputy trade ministers, and held meetings with his counterpart, Senator Ishaq Dar, and separately with Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi.
“Both countries can benefit from mutual experiences in the communications sector,” Khan said during the meeting, according to an official statement released by his ministry.
“Trade corridors and better transport links are our priority,” he added. “Pakistan is keen to gain access to Central Asia and Europe. Enhanced connectivity through rail and road networks will boost trade.”
Both sides agreed that they can undertake substantial work in the field of transport and communications. They also hoped the visit to Pakistan would be mutually beneficial for the two countries and brighten prospects for expanding future cooperation between them.
MARITIME PUSH
In a separate engagement, officials from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs briefed the Kazakh delegation on seaport opportunities.
They pointed out Kazakhstan could benefit from container handling, logistics, off-dock terminals, free trade zones and other port facilities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), noting that Pakistan’s tariffs were regionally competitive.
Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA) highlighted spare capacity to handle Central Asian cargo, while stressing that a dedicated multipurpose terminal at Gwadar was crucial for long-term trade growth.
Presentations on business opportunities and incentives at Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar were given to the visiting delegation.
Meanwhile, delegation-level talks co-chaired by Dar and Nurtleu were held at the foreign office to review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, agriculture, information technology, education, culture, tourism, security and logistics connectivity.
A roadmap for Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s planned visit to Pakistan in November was finalized, and the two sides signed an Action Plan of Cooperation between their foreign ministries.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ruled out the possibility of forming a joint security force with China to protect thousands of Chinese workers in Pakistan, the information minister said on Monday, despite concerns raised by Beijing during recent high-level talks between the two countries.
Last week, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited China for the SCO heads of state summit, President Xi Jinping pressed him to improve security for Chinese nationals who have been repeatedly attacked by militants while working on Beijing-funded multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects in the South Asian country. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a showcase for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s global Belt and Road Initiative projects but security threats to Chinese workers in the country have become a source of tension between the close allies.
Media have also widely reported that recent attacks — particularly a bombing in the southern port city of Karachi that killed two Chinese engineers last year — have angered Beijing and pushed it to seek a joint security management system with Islamabad.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar ruled out the possibility of a joint security force or Islamabad allowing Beijing to bring in its own security staff to provide protection to thousands of Chinese citizens working in Pakistan.
“Obviously, there has to be cooperation, there has to be intel-sharing, there has to be a lot of exchange of ideas, that happens all the time,” said Tarar, who was part of Sharif’s delegation to China.
“But with regard to on-ground security [presence of Chinese forces], I think Pakistani security forces, Pakistani armed forces, are well equipped to deal with the situation and they’re already dealing with it.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, on September 2, 2025. (China Daily via REUTERS)
Pakistan has deployed tens of thousands of army troops, paramilitary units and police to protect Chinese projects, including power plants and the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar. But much of the planned $60 billion investment is widely believed to have been put on hold, partly due to security concerns. Both religiously motivated and separatist militants have targeted Chinese personnel.
Projects have been hit particularly in the southwestern province of Balochistan, where Gwadar is located.
Major incidents also include a suicide bombing outside Karachi airport late last year that killed two Chinese engineers, and a March 2024 attack in which five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver died when a bomber rammed a convoy near a dam project in northwest Pakistan. In 2021, a bus bombing in Dasu, also in the northwest, killed 13 people, nine of them Chinese nationals.
Tarar acknowledged Beijing’s concerns.
“I think as far as the security situation is concerned, yes, it’s a concern,” the information minister said.
“And the prime minister [Sharif] also raised this in his speeches [in China] that we are faced with a situation where a security situation does exist, but things are getting better gradually.”
CHINESE INVESTORS ‘READY TO RELOCATE’ TO PAKISTAN
Tarar described Sharif’s recent trip to China as “historic,” highlighting the success of business-to-business (B2B) meetings held on the sidelines of the SCO summit. He said 900 business participants from both countries signed joint venture agreements worth $1.5 billion and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $7 billion.
“I think this B2B conference was a great matchmaking event in which the EV [electric vehicle] sector, the textile sector, the mining sector, the energy sector, all sectors were covered,” the minister said.
“Chinese investors are ready to even relocate their industry to Pakistan because it is beneficial for them to export their products from Pakistan because the port is near, the Gwadar port [in Balochistan], the Karachi port.”
Asked which companies are planning to come to Pakistan, he said several textile firms, electric vehicle manufacturers and software development companies had shown interest.
“A number of joint ventures will be on the ground within the next six months,” Tarar said. “You will see a lot of business activity going on in Pakistan, with Chinese businessmen coming here, Chinese firms moving their offices here, opening new offices, and relocating industry.”
A policeman stands guard under the national flags of China and Pakistan along a road ahead of the visit of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, in Islamabad on July 30, 2023. (AFP/File)
In response to a question on whether the Asian Development Bank would fund upgrades to part of Pakistan’s creaking railway system, replacing China after prolonged delays in financing, Tarar said “a lot of negotiations are going on.”
Reuters reported last month, citing multiple anonymous sources, that the ADB is in advanced talks to lead financing of a $2 billion upgrade of a 500-km stretch of the ML-1 railway line from Karachi to Rohri in the south, which had previously been part of the CPEC project.
“We have a lot of discussions going on. And even in China, they were very positive with regards to facilitating any process with regards to the ML-1,” Tarar said, without providing further details.
“I don’t see any negativity on any side with regard to the ML-1. And ML-1, whichever arrangement is finalized, I think there will be cooperation and there will be facilitation from the Chinese side as well. Let’s see how it turns out eventually.”
US TIES
Tarar also discussed a striking turnaround in Pakistan’s ties with the US after years of mistrust and diplomatic drift. In July 2025, the two countries finalized a landmark trade agreement that significantly reduced reciprocal tariffs — from around 29 percent down to 19 percent — on key Pakistani exports like textiles, leather goods, surgical instruments, IT services, and agricultural products, marking one of the lowest tariff levels among major Asian economies.
Just this week, Pakistan inked a $500 million memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US Strategic Metals and the Frontier Works Organization to develop its critical minerals sector, including immediate exports of antimony, copper, gold, tungsten, and rare earth elements, as well as plans for a US-backed poly-metallic refinery in Pakistan.
Analysts say this revival of Pakistan–US cooperation could inject new friction into its “iron brotherhood” with Beijing, forcing Pakistan into a delicate balancing act between its two most powerful patrons.
Asked if China was concerned, Tarar said Islamabad’s relations with other countries are “independent and unique“:
“With regard to the entire situation, the geopolitical situation, global politics, you’ve seen that Pakistan has gained importance, and Pakistan is seen as a serious country. And we’ve had a lot of diplomatic successes. So, I think one relationship is not at the cost of the other.”
