Pakistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation with a strong focus on innovation, investment, and people-centered development at a joint seminar organized by the Board of Investment (BOI) in collaboration with China Media Group (CMG).
The seminar, titled “Driving Innovation, Sharing Prosperity – A New Vision for China–Pakistan Economic Partnership,” was held in Islamabad and attended by Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh as Chief Guest. Senior BOI officials including Additional Secretaries Zulfiqar Ali and Dr. Erfa Iqbal, and Director Generals Abdul Samie and Mehmood Tufail were also present.
The event highlighted Pakistan–China economic ties, emphasizing innovation, investment promotion, future policy coordination, and people-centric development under the broader framework of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
In his opening remarks, Director of China Media Group Tasawar Zaman commended BOI for organizing the seminar and stressed the importance of such engagements for opening new avenues of cooperation. He described CPEC as a transformative initiative for Pakistan and emphasized the growing strength of Pakistan–China relations, which are rooted in decades of trust.
Head of China Program IRS, Ms. Nabila Jaffer, highlighted lessons Pakistan could draw from China’s development journey, particularly in leveraging technology, innovation, and a knowledge-based economy. She emphasized the need for policies prioritizing human development and people-centered governance. Dr. Noor Fatima underscored the importance of policy predictability and institutional continuity in enhancing investor confidence, appreciating BOI and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for their efforts.
Sardar Tahir Mehmood, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), praised BOI’s leadership and reaffirmed ICCI’s commitment to support B2B facilitation, joint ventures, youth engagement, startups, and entrepreneurship to strengthen Pakistan–China trade and investment relations.
Executive Director General BOI, Dr. Erfa Iqbal, shared progress on the outcomes of the September Business Conference in China, which included over 400 private-sector participants and led to 167 joint ventures and memoranda of understanding. She also highlighted the BOI Business Facilitation Center, regulatory reforms, the Asaan Karobar Act, and development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
Federal Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh emphasized Pakistan’s strategic relationship with China and noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is fully focused on attracting Chinese investment. He highlighted incentives under SEZs, including tax exemptions of up to ten years until 2035 and duty-free import of machinery, underscoring the government’s determination to facilitate investors, deepen economic cooperation, and accelerate growth.
The seminar concluded with a shared commitment to leveraging innovation, investment, and people-centered strategies to strengthen Pakistan–China economic partnership for sustainable development.
Follow the PakBanker Whatsapp Channel for updates across Pakistan’s banking ecosystem.