ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s militancy-hit southwestern Balochistan province will host its first-ever trade and investment exposition this month, state-run media reported this week, as Islamabad seeks to position the area as a hub of local and foreign investment.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by land mass but also its poorest according to most economic indicators. The province is home to vast mine and mineral deposits such as the Reko Diq and Saindak copper and gold mines, as well as large coal reserves and gas fields.
However, Pakistan has grappled with an insurgency launched by ethnic Baloch militants in Balochistan since decades. Militant outfits accuse the state of exploiting its mineral wealth and denying locals a share in it, a charge Islamabad denies.
The Balochistan Investment and Trade Expo (BITE 2026) will be held in July, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Tuesday. The Balochistan Board of Investment and Trade (BBoIT) will organize the expo in collaboration with the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), the report said.
“It is time to end despair and present Balochistan’s positive, peaceful and investment-friendly image to the world,” BBoIT Vice Chairman Bilal Khan Kakar said at a stakeholders’ meeting at BUITEMS on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by BUITEMS officials, representatives from the business sector, financial institutions, government departments, academia, and social organizations, APP added.
Kakar told participants of the meeting that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has given instructions to authorities to create a conducive environment and ease of doing business for investors and the business community.
“He added that the government is taking practical steps to encourage youth toward entrepreneurship and industry, and the upcoming expo is a vital part of this vision,” the report said.
BBoIT CEO Qaim Lashari said the expo will provide an effective platform not only for established businesses but also for the youth, new entrepreneurs, and startups, enabling them to connect with investors, financial institutions, and business experts.
Balochistan is also home to several projects part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and development project aims to connect China’s northwestern Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.
Work on several CPEC projects has suffered delays due to frequent militant attacks targeting Chinese interests in the province.
