LAHORE – A special briefing session on investment opportunities in Punjab was organized by the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) at a local hotel.
Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain chaired the session.
A 22-member delegation of American investors, led by Muhammad Hanif Channa, Minister for Trade and Investment at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C., attended the event.
A four-member delegation from the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) also participated.
Chairman Punjab Board of Investment and Trade Muntaha Ashraf, Secretary Industries, Secretary Agriculture, industrialists, and senior officials were also present. Heads of various departments briefed participants on investment opportunities in agriculture, energy, AI ,minerals, and other key sectors.
Addressing the session, Provincial Minister for industries, commerce and investment Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said that Punjab currently offers an ideal investment atmosphere with abundant opportunities across multiple sectors. He highlighted that the province’s Special Economic Zones have world-class industrial infrastructure along with attractive incentives for investors.The Minister said there is tremendous potential to strengthen economic cooperation between Pakistan—particularly Punjab—and the United States .Joint working groups will be established to promote bilateral trade and investment.
He further stated that Punjab Chief Minister has placed special emphasis on the promotion of modern agriculture. Punjab and the United States can collaborate in the manufacturing of modern agricultural machinery, soybean cultivation, and seed development. He said Punjab is keen to benefit from American expertise in advanced agricultural technologies.
Chaudhry Shafay Hussain invited American investors to establish manufacturing plants for modern agricultural machinery in Punjab’s Special Economic Zones, assuring them of every possible facilitation from the provincial government.
The Provincial Minister noted that 90 percent of Pakistan’s surgical instruments manufactured in Punjab are exported to the United States and Canada. In view of the rapid expansion of the surgical industry, a state-of-the-art Surgical City is being developed in Sialkot. He also announced that a new industrial estate is being established at Qaidabad for value addition of pink salt. Referring to the province’s industrial progress, he said several electric motorcycle assembly plants are already operational in Punjab, while a number of Chinese companies are setting up lithium battery manufacturing facilities here.
Highlighting the importance of the textile sector, the Minister said the textile sector is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. The government has therefore established a State-of-the-Art Garment City at Quaid-e-Azam Business Park, Sheikhupura. He encouraged American and Pakistani companies to explore greater collaboration in the textile sector.
Chaudhry Shafay Hussain emphasized that the time has come to narrow the existing trade gap between Punjab and the United States, adding that both sides must work together to achieve this shared objective.
The American investors appreciated Punjab’s investor-friendly environment and expressed confidence in the province’s vast investment potential. They stated that they would take benefits from investment opportunities in various sectors of Punjab.
The high-level US delegation included Hasnain Aslam, President of TRG International; Ms. Nicole Rogers from Mineral Alliance; Ms. Jessica Lycos, Director of Tandem Defense; and other senior representatives of American companies.
