Pakistan presented its proposed Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway to Qatar as a possible investment opportunity during the second meeting of the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Task Force on Trade and Investment, held in Doha on October 24. Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, Dr. Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, co-chaired the talks, which reviewed bilateral economic ties and explored new trade, investment and industrial partnerships.
At the close of the meeting, the two ministers formally signed the Minutes of the First Meeting of the task force.
Shipping, free trade talks and meat export curbs
Pakistan identified shipping and maritime transport as areas for cooperation, particularly the securing of oil tankers, LNG carriers and container vessels. It said this would strengthen energy security and international trade links.
On the Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement, Pakistan urged an early signing and asked for Qatar’s continued support in completing the remaining formalities. It told the meeting that it had finished its domestic approval process and sent the approved text to the GCC Secretariat on December 31, 2025.
Pakistan also raised restrictions on bone-in meat exports to Qatar and asked for their early resolution. It said a detailed technical dossier on animal health and food safety requirements had already been shared with the relevant Qatari authorities.
Rice supply and agriculture investment proposals
In agriculture, Pakistan highlighted a proposed memorandum of understanding between the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and Qatar’s Hassad Food. It would cover supplies of Pakistani rice under a government-to-government arrangement, and the proposal has been submitted to the Federal Cabinet for approval.
Pakistan also invited Qatari capital into modern agriculture, grain storage and silos, cold storage, integrated cold-chain infrastructure and advanced farming technologies. Both sides discussed sustainable food supply arrangements aimed at strengthening food security in the two countries.
Pakistan further presented investment opportunities in the automobile sector, especially New Energy Vehicles and electric vehicles under its new EV policy framework. It said joint manufacturing, technology transfer and industrial partnerships were also possible. It additionally invited Qatari investment in information technology and digital infrastructure, pointing to its growing IT exports.
Aviation ties and eleven working groups ahead of Third Meeting
The Qatari side stressed closer cooperation in civil aviation and air traffic. Pakistan welcomed the proposal and said aviation matters would also be taken up by the Technical Working Group on Logistics and Communications.
Pakistan stressed the need to make the eleven Technical Working Groups, identified at the first Joint Task Force meeting, operational without delay. The groups cover priority sectors including:
- logistics
- aviation
- advanced manufacturing
- mining and minerals
- agriculture
- tourism
- financial technology
- healthcare
- education
- industrial development
- information technology
- startups
Pakistan said it had already shared the composition of the groups and asked Qatar to name its nominations at the earliest. The groups should identify concrete trade and investment opportunities, resolve outstanding issues and prepare sector-wise progress reports and recommendations ahead of the Third Meeting, which Pakistan will host.
