Dubai International Chamber opens office in Karachi to expand trade, investment links

UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi (left), alongside officials and members of Pakistan’s business community at the inauguration of Dubai International Chamber in Karachi on December 9, 2025. (Pakistan, Dubai Chambers)
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Updated 09 December 2025
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Dubai International Chamber opens office in Karachi to expand trade, investment links

  • New Karachi presence launched under ‘Dubai Global’ initiative to scale international footprint by 2030
  • Pakistani membership at Dubai Chamber of Commerce up 161 percent since 2022, with 6,850 new firms in 2025

KARACHI: The Dubai International Chamber has opened a representative office in Karachi as part of an effort to deepen trade and investment flows between Pakistan and Dubai, the chamber said in a statement after an inauguration ceremony on Tuesday.

The expansion is tied to the Dubai Global Initiative, which aims to set up 50 international offices by 2030 to support cross-border business activity and position Dubai as a global gateway market. The move comes amid a period of heightened commercial engagement between the two markets, driven by Pakistani investor interest in Dubai and Dubai-based companies exploring Pakistan’s consumer and industrial sectors.

The office was inaugurated in Karachi in the presence of UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi, alongside officials and members of Pakistan’s business community.

Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said the new presence was intended to accelerate bilateral commercial ties.

“The inauguration of our new office marks a strategic step that reflects our firm commitment to strengthening the robust economic partnership between Dubai and Pakistan,” he said. 

“We aim to broaden the scope of bilateral cooperation between our business communities and advance our vision to create new paths for the flow of trade and investments.”

The Karachi office will support Pakistani businesses seeking entry into Dubai by offering market intelligence, regulatory guidance, and introductions to potential investors and commercial partners. Officials said the office will also assist Dubai-based companies exploring Pakistan’s market through sector briefings, partner sourcing and investment facilitation.

The chamber said its goal is to enable firms on both sides to scale internationally using Dubai as a springboard into global markets, while expanding the emirate’s footprint inside Pakistan’s industrial, digital and consumer-growth sectors.

Pakistan remains one of Dubai’s fastest-growing partner markets. According to figures released by the chamber, Pakistan’s non-oil trade with Dubai reached more than Rs1.74 trillion ($6.1 billion) in 2024, while the number of Pakistani companies registered as active Dubai Chamber members rose 161 percent between early 2022 and Q3 2025, reaching a total of 33,110 firms. A further 6,850 companies joined in the first nine months of 2025 alone.


Pakistan extends bid submission for new PSL teams citing interest from Middle East, Europe

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Pakistan extends bid submission for new PSL teams citing interest from Middle East, Europe

  • Pakistan has invited bids for two new PSL teams for upcoming edition of the tournament
  • Pakistan Cricket Board extends bid submission deadline by a week to Dec. 22, says chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to extend the deadline to submit bids for two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams due to “growing interest” from investors in the Middle East, US and Europe, chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday. 

The PSL is Pakistan’s flagship Twenty20 league held every year featuring six teams, each representing a different city of Pakistan. It includes national as well as international cricketers.

PSL 11 is expected to begin in April and May next year, and will see two new teams added to the current roster of six PSL teams. Pakistan kicked off the process to invite bids from investors for two new PSL teams for the upcoming edition of the league last month.

“Witnessing growing interest from the Europe, USA, the Middle East and beyond in acquiring new HBL PSL teams, we have decided to extend the bid submission deadline by one week to 22 December 2025,” Naqvi wrote on social media platform X. 

https://x.com/mohsinnaqvic42/status/1999510948311347476?s=46&t=_sd6Jiyhge2j48w9Ld4HwA

“Good luck to everyone excited to welcome our new franchise owners to the HBL PSL family.”

The PCB organized a roadshow this week in London to attract international investors. The roadshow featured former cricket stars Ramiz Raja, Wasim Akram and the PCB’s top hierarchy, including Naqvi. 

The roadshow also featured star cricketers Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, who spoke about their journey so far and how the league has transformed their lives. 

In an earlier statement, the PCB released a list of cities that potential owners could name their new teams after.

Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, and Rawalpindi are the new potential cities, from which two will be chosen for the upcoming edition of the tournament.

The list of teams that are already part of the PSL are Multan Sultans, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars.