Saudi delegation meets SIFC to explore key investment opportunities

ISLAMABAD: In a strategic move to deepen bilateral economic ties, a high-level business delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) met here on Tuesday with the senior officials of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). The visit signals renewed momentum in fostering private-sector investment and business-to-business (B2B) collaboration across critical sectors of Pakistan’s economy.

The Saudi delegation led by Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al Saud, chairman of the Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council, met with top officials from the Petroleum and Power Divisions. Key investment-ready projects from the power and petroleum sectors were presented, with Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari also in attendance.

The delegation is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today (Wednesday), alongside key cabinet members, to further discuss strategic investment avenues.

Officials say the visit reflects the full institutional backing of the Saudi government and builds upon previous engagements to shift the economic partnership towards robust private-sector cooperation. The delegation will explore investment prospects in energy, mining, agriculture, IT, financial services, construction, semiconductors and food industry.

“This visit marks a shift toward deepening economic cooperation at the private-sector level, with complete institutional support from both sides,” a senior SIFC official said.

The delegation’s itinerary includes visits to Lahore and Karachi. In Lahore, Saudi representatives will engage with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and prominent business leaders from Punjab. In Karachi, meetings with the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and top industrialists will focus on trade facilitation, logistics, energy infrastructure, and industrial partnerships. The delegation will depart for Riyadh from Karachi at the end of the visit.

Though the visit follows the signing of the Pakistan–Saudi Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement on September 17, officials clarified that the focus of this delegation is purely economic, expanding on the momentum of a 135-member Saudi delegation’s visit in October 2024 led by Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih.