The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has developed an investment pipeline valued at approximately $40 billion across a range of sectors as the government works to revive stalled and delayed investment projects involving the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. SIFC Secretary Jamil Qureshi shared the details during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Division on Monday. The meeting was held under the acting chairmanship of Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and covered investment opportunities, infrastructure projects, export targets and financing arrangements for several major initiatives.
According to the briefing, the investment pipeline covers a broad range of economic activities, including industry and production, oil and gas, railways, roads and infrastructure, power, telecommunications and information technology. Pharmaceuticals, tourism, food security and agriculture are also included in the identified opportunities. The government is seeking to move stalled and delayed projects towards implementation through greater coordination and facilitation, following directions from the prime minister to actively pursue projects involving the UAE and other countries. The initiative is aimed at addressing delays and creating a more structured process for progressing investment proposals across different sectors.
SIFC told the committee that delays in responses and coordination between federal and provincial authorities had initially affected the development of investment proposals. According to the briefing, improved institutional coordination has since helped expand the pipeline and identify a wider range of investment opportunities. Members of the committee emphasised that identifying potential investments is only an initial step and called for the proposed opportunities to be converted into concrete projects. They highlighted the need to resolve regulatory, financial and administrative obstacles while strengthening coordination among federal ministries, provincial governments and agencies responsible for project implementation.
The committee also discussed Pakistan’s export ambitions and described the government’s target of increasing exports to $60 billion by 2030 as unrealistic, citing high gas and electricity prices, tight monetary policy and high taxation as factors affecting the country’s export competitiveness. The discussion took place alongside a review of major infrastructure projects that are expected to influence connectivity, trade and economic activity. One of the projects discussed was the Main Line-1 railway project, which covers approximately 1,800 kilometres and has undergone a revision in its estimated cost following a reassessment of the project design.
The revised estimated cost of ML-1 is around $6.68 billion to $6.80 billion, compared with an earlier estimate of approximately $9 billion. The Asian Development Bank is being considered as the lead financing institution for the railway project, while the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the World Bank have made co-financing commitments. The European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency have also expressed interest in participating. The infrastructure is being designed to accommodate train speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, although the currently envisaged operational speed is up to 120 kilometres per hour. The committee called for the operational parameters to allow speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour where technically and economically feasible, while the expected construction period is around three years.
Water infrastructure also featured prominently in the committee’s discussions, particularly the K-IV water supply project. The project is expected to be completed by April 2029, while the committee was informed that Karachi currently requires more than 1,200 million gallons of water per day. Demand is expected to rise further by 2029-30, increasing the importance of expanding water supply infrastructure to meet the requirements of the city’s growing population and economic activity. The committee raised concerns regarding the project and reviewed its expected completion timeline in the context of Karachi’s increasing water demand.
The committee was also briefed on the M-6 Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project, which has been divided into five sections with different financing arrangements. Sections I and II are proposed to be developed under the Public-Private Partnership model, while Section III is proposed to be financed through OPEC funding. Sections IV and V are planned through the Islamic Development Bank, with the Asian Development Bank serving as financial adviser for the PPP component. The project is part of the broader infrastructure agenda being reviewed by the committee, particularly in relation to improving road connectivity and facilitating movement between major economic centres.
Another project discussed was the Lyari Elevated Freight Corridor, where the committee called for the financing cost to be rationalised and urged a more proactive role from the Karachi Port Trust in financing arrangements. The project has implications for freight movement and connectivity around Karachi’s port infrastructure. Taken together, the investment pipeline and infrastructure projects discussed by the committee reflect the government’s efforts to attract investment while addressing financing, regulatory and implementation challenges. The $40 billion SIFC pipeline spans multiple sectors, but converting the identified opportunities into operational projects will depend on coordination among government institutions, investors and financing partners, as well as progress in resolving administrative and financial constraints.
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