ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has signed an agreement with an Emirati consultancy firm, AT Kearney Middle East Limited, for the promotion of foreign investment in the country’s diverse sectors, Pakistani state media reported on Saturday.
Islamabad established the SIFC, a civil-military hybrid forum, in June last year to attract foreign direct investment in agriculture, mining, information technology, defense production and energy sectors.
A team of AT Kearney and Pakistan’s Public-Private Partnership Authority officials held a detailed meeting with the SIFC national coordinator to discuss the roadmap for collaboration, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The UAE company will provide expertise over a period of eighteen months focusing on a number of key areas to drive foreign investment,” the report read.
“The agreement includes strategies for attracting investment in key sectors and conducting pre-feasibility studies for selected projects.”
The development comes amid a push for foreign investment by Pakistan, which has been facing low foreign exchange reserves, currency devaluation and high inflation.
The South Asian country is making desperate attempts to boost foreign investment and has reached a $7 billion loan deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support its $350 billion fragile economy.
Pakistan signs agreement with UAE firm for expertise to drive foreign investment
https://arab.news/pa37z
Pakistan signs agreement with UAE firm for expertise to drive foreign investment
- Islamabad established the SIFC, a civil-military hybrid forum, in June last year to attract investment
- The UAE consultancy firm will provide expertise over a period of 18 months focusing on a number of areas
Pakistan warns of heightened glacial lake flood risk as temperatures rise
- NDMA says early heatwave conditions could accelerate glacier melt in northern Pakistan
- Authorities urge contingency planning, early warnings and evacuations in at-risk areas
PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s disaster management authority warned on Thursday of an elevated risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) starting next month as rising temperatures threaten to accelerate snow and glacier melt in the country’s northern regions.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said seasonal forecasts point to higher-than-normal temperatures and possible early heatwave conditions that could destabilize glacial lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
GLOFs occur when water from melting glaciers breaches natural barriers and is suddenly released, triggering fast-moving floods downstream.
“Increasing temperatures during March to June 2026 may accelerate snow and glacier melt in Gilgit Baltistan and Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heightening the risk of GLOF incidents,” the NDMA said in a statement. “Such events can trigger flash floods, causing damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture, communication networks and may result in human casualties in vulnerable downstream communities.”
The advisory identified several potentially exposed areas, including valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan such as Ishkoman, Gulkin and Gulmit, as well as parts of Chitral and Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The NDMA urged provincial and local authorities to review contingency plans, strengthen early warning systems and prepare evacuation arrangements where necessary.
Communities living near glacial streams were advised to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary movement in high-risk zones and follow official instructions.
Climate change has become a major concern for Pakistan, which is frequently ranked among the world’s most vulnerable countries to global warming despite contributing less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, the country has endured devastating floods, prolonged droughts and record-breaking heatwaves that have killed thousands of people, damaged critical infrastructure and deepened food security challenges.
