ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s coordinator to the federal tax ombudsman on Tuesday urged entrepreneurs to seize business opportunities offered by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program and use it to expand their businesses and access new markets, state-run media reported. 

Saudi Arabia is consolidating its economy on modern lines under the Vision 2030, which is a strategic development framework intended to cut the Kingdom’s reliance on oil. It is aimed at developing public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.

Speaking to a delegation of food exporters in Riyadh, Saif Ur Rehman, coordinator to the federal tax ombudsman, emphasized the “transformative potential” of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. He urged Pakistani businessmen to actively explore partnerships and investments in Saudi Arabia and leverage strategic ties between the two countries. 

“He noted that ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ offers a unique platform for Pakistani entrepreneurs to expand their businesses, access new markets and contribute to the economic development of both countries,” APP reported. 

Rehman urged entrepreneurs to engage proactively with people in Saudi Arabia by participating in trade exhibitions, business forums and networking events to build lasting connections.

He underscored the Pakistani government’s role in facilitating these opportunities, assuring entrepreneurs of continued support through policy initiatives and diplomatic efforts.

“By capitalizing on these initiatives, Pakistani industrialists can play a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral relations, driving economic growth, and exploring untapped potential for collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the years to come,” APP quoted Rehman as saying. 

Pakistan enjoys strong ties with Saudi Arabia and cooperates with the Kingdom in several areas such as defense, trade, agriculture, livestock and other priority sectors. 

Pakistanis constitute one of the largest migrant communities in Saudi Arabia, with more than 2 million working in the Kingdom and making it the largest source of remittances to the South Asian country. While a significant majority of these Pakistanis comprises blue-collar workers, there is still a growing demand for skilled labor in the Kingdom as it seeks to modernize its economy.