PM invites Chinese firms to establish textile industry in Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday assured full facilitation by his government and invited Chinese companies, particularly those in the textile sector, to establish their industries in Pakistan.

Chairing a meeting to discuss the promotion of Pakistan-China cooperation, the prime minister highlighted that China is a key partner in Pakistan’s development. He expressed Pakistan’s desire to enhance cooperation with China in agriculture, information technology, and energy, in addition to increasing exports to China.

During the meeting, various ministries presented proposals to strengthen the Pakistan-China economic relationship, according to a press release from the PM Office. The prime minister reiterated the government’s commitment to providing foolproof security to Chinese nationals working in Pakistan, noting that a comprehensive security plan had already been formulated.

Prime Minister Shehbaz informed the participants that the government is preparing for the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He expressed hope that with China’s cooperation, Gwadar Port would become a logistics hub.

The prime minister mentioned that the second phase of CPEC would include the establishment of Agriculture Demonstration Zones and instructed the ministries to prepare for new projects with Chinese cooperation and to enhance business-to-business linkages.

He also noted that China could assist Pakistan in formulating a strategy to boost exports. Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Dr. Musaddik Malik, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Awais Ahmed Leghari, and Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, along with State Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatemi, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Jahanzeb Khan, and other senior officials attended the meeting.