Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with joint delegations of the Business Council for International Understanding and the US-Pakistan Business Council on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, using the occasion to formally invite American companies to explore investment opportunities across several key sectors of Pakistan’s economy. Representatives from the information technology, artificial intelligence, finance, beverages, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and organic products sectors attended the meeting, according to the Prime Minister Office.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Pakistan’s economy is stable and moving towards growth, and that the government has undertaken massive structural reforms and is digitizing the economy. He highlighted the country’s investor-friendly policy framework and the reforms undertaken by his government to safeguard foreign investments and foster a high-growth business climate. Among the sectors highlighted, information technology and artificial intelligence featured prominently, with the Prime Minister pointing to Pakistan’s young population as an asset that could be developed through vocational and skills training, and highlighting IT and AI-led initiatives as central to that agenda. Agriculture was described as holding the biggest potential, with the Prime Minister noting that modern technology and machinery could significantly increase production levels. Mining and minerals, energy security including oil, petroleum and gas, and ports and shipping were also presented as areas offering meaningful investment opportunities for American companies.
On privatisation, the Prime Minister said Pakistan International Airlines had been privatised and expressed confidence that its new Pakistani owners would improve its performance, adding that a bank had also been privatised and that the government was expediting the privatisation of power distribution companies in various provinces. The meeting was attended by senior representatives of US companies doing business with Pakistan including Boeing, Abbott, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Resecurity, Mastercard, Nvidia, ETS Capital, TRG International, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Northshore Medical Lab, Reckitt, Visa, and Excelera. USPBC President Esperanza Jelalian thanked the Prime Minister for his engagement with US businesses and briefed him on plans by the US Chamber of Commerce to promote investment opportunities in Pakistan, while BCIU President Peter Tichansky said member companies were interested in expanding their existing investments and exploring new partnerships in the country.
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