ISLAMABAD: Qatar Investment Authority has shown a strong desire to invest in Pakistan’s energy, airport, and infrastructure sectors, among others.
Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail and Chief Investment Officer – Africa & APAC, Qatar Investment Authority Sheikh Faisal bin Thani al Thani met virtually to talk about the bilateral ties.
The minister was happy to hear about Qatar Investments Authority’s plans to invest in different areas and promised them that the government would help them in every way possible.
Miftah talked about the investment opportunities in Pakistan and said that the current government was working on a number of structural changes to make it easier for foreigners to invest there.
Abid Hussain Bhayo, who is in charge of privatisation, Bilal Azhar Kayani, who is in charge of the economy for the Prime Minister, and other senior officers were also at the meeting.
During his official trip to Doha in August, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with a delegation from the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). They talked about opportunities for Qatari investment in areas like food security, aviation, maritime, energy, tourism, and petroleum.
The QIA is one of the world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds. The CEO, Mansoor Bin Ebrahim AL-Mahmoud, and the chief investment officer for the Africa and Asia-Pacific Regions, Sheikh Faisal Thani Al-Thani, met with the prime minister.
“The prime minister emphasised the need to strengthen bilateral economic and investment ties,” the office of the prime minister said in a statement. “This is especially important in the renewable energy, such as solar and wind power generation, aviation, maritime, industrial and infrastructure development, and hospitality sectors.”
The PM talked about Pakistan’s unique geographic and demographic advantages, such as its strategic location, large middle-class market, and large skilled workforce. He said that Pakistan wanted to turn the political ties between the two countries into a “comprehensive economic partnership.”
He also told Qatari investors to look into the opportunities offered by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which would help connect the region and make everyone better off.
Both sides agreed that key proposals for investments would be closely monitored by people who were given that job. The QIA delegation said they were very interested in investing in Pakistan and were ready to do so.