ISLAMABAD: Overseas Pakistani businessmen in Saudi Arabia expressed interest in investing in the tourism, agriculture, food processing and trading sectors of their country of origin on Sunday, as they arrived in Islamabad to attend the inaugural Overseas Pakistanis Convention.
Nearly 20 Pakistan-origin businessmen from the Kingdom are participating in the program that kicked off today and will conclude on April 15.
Organized by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, the convention aims to recognize the contributions of expatriates to the national economy and address their concerns.
The government has accorded state guest status to all the attendees, with special arrangements made to welcome them at airports.
“We have keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s tourism infrastructure, including hotel development and facility upgrades, as well as in value-added agriculture, food processing and general trading sectors such as import-export,” Faisal Tahir Khan, a Saudi-born Pakistani businessman whose family has lived in the Kingdom for the past seven decades, told Arab News.
“At the moment our main platform, the Pakistan Investment Forum [PIF] in Saudi Arabia, is also working to build a Pakistan commercial hub in the Kingdom where we will be bringing the top 100 brands of Pakistan there,” he added.
Remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis are crucial for the country as the nation navigates a tricky path to recovery from a prolonged economic crisis that drained its revenues in recent years.
Pakistan expects to receive more than $35 billion in remittances until the end of this fiscal year in June, with its nationals in Saudi Arabia being top contributors to the country’s economy.
Khan maintained the Kingdom offered a robust investment ecosystem, driven by its Vision 2030 initiative to reduce its oil reliance and transform economy, saying the authorities in Riyadh are promoting equal opportunities for all investors.
Ali Khurshid Malik, another businessman from the Pakistani diaspora in Saudi Arabia, emphasized local companies should not miss the opportunities emerging in the construction sector in the Kingdom with the launch of projects like NEOM City.
NEOM City is a flagship project under Vision 2030, aimed at building a futuristic, sustainable urban hub driven by innovation and technology.
“The NEOM project offers a major opportunity for Pakistani investors in both construction, where Pakistan excels in materials and labor, and in smart city technologies, where its IT sector can play a key role,” he told Arab News.
Malik, who also serves as the finance secretary with PIF, said overseas Pakistanis with businesses in Saudi Arabia could help connect relevant companies in Pakistan, such as those providing construction materials like sanitary supplies, ceramics and marble with Saudi firms.
“There is also a demand for skilled workers, particularly in areas like smart electronics for smart homes,” he noted.
He also pointed out Pakistan needed to improve its certification systems to provide the Kingdom with certified skilled workers, including specialists in electronic modules, electronic systems, as well as electronic and software engineers.
Raja Shahid Raza, a Riyadh-based Pakistani entrepreneur, said the convention would provide a valuable opportunity for overseas Pakistani investors, businessmen and community members to engage directly with government institutions, while also boosting their pride as their contributions are being recognized by the country.
“As the top management of all key institutions that overseas Pakistanis interact with will be present, it will be a great opportunity to voice our concerns and receive direct responses from them,” he said, adding it would also connect different local businesses with the overseas community.
In a statement, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the convention aimed to address expatriates’ issues and recognize their contributions.
He informed the country’s top leadership, including the prime minister and the army chief, will also address the visiting business representatives.
Pakistani businessmen in Saudi Arabia eye investment in key sectors back home
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Pakistani businessmen in Saudi Arabia eye investment in key sectors back home
- These entrepreneurs are visiting Islamabad to attend the three-day Overseas Pakistanis Convention
- Pakistan Investors Forum plans commercial hub in Saudi Arabia to promote top 100 Pakistani brands
Pakistan top IT association backs $1 billion AI plan announced at Indus Summit
- Private sector pledges support for AI push, calls tech sector engine of future growth
- Government to fund 1,000 AI PhDs, train one million professionals under digital strategy
KARACHI: Pakistan’s main software industry association on Tuesday backed the government’s plan to invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence by 2030, pledging private-sector support for what officials describe as a national push toward digital transformation.
The commitment was announced during Indus AI Week in Islamabad, held earlier this month, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlined plans to fund artificial intelligence development, including scholarships and workforce training.
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), representing IT exporters and technology firms, said the private sector would play a central role in implementing the strategy.
“The IT sector is no longer merely a participant in Pakistan’s economy,” said Sajjad Syed, the association’s chairman, in a statement. “It is the fundamental engine of our future growth.”
“The commitments made at the Indus AI Summit provide a much-needed, evidence-based structural framework,” he added. “P@SHA, representing the collective strength of Pakistan’s software and tech enterprises, stands fully prepared to translate this policy into export-driven, practical realities.”
Syed said the integration of AI was no longer optional, describing it as a “matter of global survival and economic sovereignty.”
The government said the initiative includes funding for 1,000 PhD scholarships in artificial intelligence and a federal mandate to train one million non-IT professionals in advanced technology skills.
The Indus AI Week event drew participation from local and international technology companies, universities, and investors, according to organizers. It included technical bootcamps and industry panels aimed at accelerating AI adoption.
Pakistan’s IT exports reached $2.2 billion in July–December FY26, marking a 20 percent year-on-year increase, the statement said, as the country seeks to expand its technology sector to support foreign exchange earnings.
The AI push comes as Islamabad looks to modernize its digital infrastructure and attract technology investment while positioning the country as a competitive player in emerging technologies.
