ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has shared a comprehensive set of economic data with a visiting Saudi business delegation, including detailed information on its programme with International Monetary Fund, external debt structure, and terms of deferred oil facilities with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This significant exchange of information aims to pave the way for deeper investment and trade relations between the two nations.
A high-level business delegation from Saudi Arabia, led by Prince Mansoor bin Mohammad Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi-Pak Joint Business Council, is currently in Pakistan for a four-day visit from October 7 to 11. The visit underscores both countries’ commitment to expanding bilateral economic cooperation, with a focus on strengthening G2B and B2B engagements.
The Saudi delegation comprises senior business leaders representing strategic sectors such as investment holdings and financial services, agriculture and livestock, infrastructure and construction, oil and gas, minerals and mining, power and energy, hospitality, real estate, entertainment, steel and iron, logistics, food, retail, and trading. During the meetings, both sides presented investment opportunities, highlighting key sectors open for foreign participation.
According to official sources, the Special Investment Facilitation Council and the Prime Minister’s Office shared an extensive data set that covered several crucial economic areas. These included balance of payments, external accounts with remittances data, foreign exchange reserves composition, outstanding bilateral and multilateral swap or deferred oil facilities, and fiscal and tax information relevant to trade and investments. The data was compiled in coordination with key institutions such as the State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and other relevant ministries.
The information shared also encompassed Pakistan’s external debt servicing profile, historical foreign direct investment trends, details of bilateral rollovers from China, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, as well as the composition of capital account and financial flows including portfolio investments, debt instruments, and grants. In addition, the data included import and export statistics disaggregated at a granular level over the last decade, highlighting sector-specific performance and trade agreements.
To facilitate investment decisions, Pakistan provided sectoral strategies related to energy, IT, and agriculture, along with industrial policy frameworks. Tax expenditure reports, exemptions, and details on circular debt in the energy sector were also shared to give the Saudi delegation a transparent view of the country’s fiscal and financial landscape.
In parallel, data on labour migration trends, wage surveys, port-level logistics information, customs procedures, and non-tariff barriers were included to present a comprehensive picture of the investment environment. The delegation was also briefed on major industrial projects under China–Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s pipeline, which are positioned as key drivers for future economic growth.
This strategic data sharing is seen as an important step towards strengthening economic cooperation and encouraging Saudi investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s key sectors. The delegation’s visit is expected to pave the way for concrete investment commitments in the coming months, reinforcing bilateral relations at both governmental and business levels.
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