ISLAMABAD: As part of his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan began his trip from Madinah, following which he was expected to lead the country’s delegation at a key investment conference in Riyadh on Tuesday.
PM Khan and his coterie of officials arrived in Madinah on Monday night where they were received by Governor Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The group prayed together at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah before heading to Riyadh to attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Abdur Razak Dawood are part of the delegation accompanying the prime minister.
In a statement released earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that PM Khan was visiting the Kingdom on the special invitation of King Salman to participate in the prestigious business conference from October 23 to 25. Also known as “Davos in the desert”, the event is expected to host leading businesspersons, investors, corporate giants, representatives of the hi-tech industry and major media outlets on one platform.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan’s participation in the first day of the conference is aimed at projecting Pakistan’s economic and investment potential and his vision for the country in the five years to come,” the statement added.
“The conference provides an opportunity to interact with important business leaders who are interested in investing in Pakistan.”
As part of his visit, PM Khan is also expected to call upon King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.
The FII conference is now an annual feature in Saudi Arabia. It was held for the first time last year and witnessed the participation of 3,800 people from 90 countries. This year’s conference is also likely to attract a large number of leading figures.
“The prime minister’s participation in the conference signifies our solidarity with the Kingdom in its efforts to become an emerging hub of international business and investment,” the statement concluded.
PM Khan arrives in Madina in first leg of visit
PM Khan arrives in Madina in first leg of visit
- Khan will attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh
- PM to interact with important business leaders at the conference
Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization
- Islamabad expects to finalize agreement soon after Dushanbe signals demand for 100,000 tons
- Pakistan is seeking to expand agricultural trade beyond rice, citrus and mango exports
ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has expressed interest in importing 100,000 tons of Pakistani meat worth more than $50 million, with both governments expected to finalize a supply agreement soon, Pakistan’s food security ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is trying to grow agriculture-based exports as it seeks regional markets for livestock and food commodities, while Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian state, has been expanding food imports to support domestic demand. Pakistan currently exports rice, citrus and mangoes to Dushanbe, though volumes remain small compared to national production, according to official figures.
The development came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ambassador of Tajikistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, where agricultural trade, livestock supply and food-security cooperation were discussed.
“Tajikistan intends to purchase 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan, an import valued at over USD 50 million,” the ambassador said, according to the ministry’s statement, assuring full facilitation and that Islamabad was prepared to meet the demand.
The statement said the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in meat and livestock, fresh fruit, vegetables, staple crops, agricultural research, pest management and standards compliance. Pakistan also proposed strengthening coordination on phytosanitary rules and establishing pest-free production zones to support long-term exports.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have long maintained political ties but bilateral food trade remains below potential: Pakistan produces 1.8 million tons of mangoes annually but exported just 0.7 metric tons to Tajikistan in 2024, while rice exports amounted to only 240 metric tons in 2022 out of national output of 9.3 million tons. Pakistan imports mainly ginned cotton from Tajikistan.
