D-8 sets $500b trade target for 2030

Both sides emphasised the need to translate existing economic cooperation frameworks into practical commercial opportunities through greater private-sector participation, improved market access and stronger trade linkages among member states, in discussions that also focused on advancing the organisation's trade target.

Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to strengthening cooperation within the D-8 framework and supporting initiatives aimed at facilitating trade, encouraging investment and promoting sustainable economic growth among member economies.

The meeting on October 25 was one of a series of high-level engagements during the World Investment Forum 2026 in which the minister met senior officials, international economic leadership and prominent business representatives, focusing on strengthening Pakistan's international trade relations, attracting foreign investment, enhancing regional connectivity and expanding economic cooperation across key sectors.

During the engagements held on October 25 and 26, Khan met Qatar's Minister of Municipality, the chairman of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industries and representatives of Retaj Group, with the meetings exploring opportunities for expanding bilateral and multilateral trade, strengthening private-sector linkages and promoting investment in agriculture, food security, industrial development, hospitality and tourism.

In a separate bilateral meeting on October 26, Khan met Qatar's Minister of Municipality to discuss expanding cooperation in agriculture, food security and bilateral trade, with both sides exchanging views on opportunities to strengthen commercial relations and promote greater institutional and business-level engagement in agricultural development and food supply chains.

The discussions highlighted the potential for closer collaboration between relevant government institutions and private-sector stakeholders to identify practical areas of cooperation and facilitate mutually beneficial commercial partnerships, and reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to further strengthening longstanding bilateral relations through enhanced economic engagement in sectors of common interest.

In another engagement, Khan met the chairman of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industries to explore new avenues for strengthening bilateral trade, investment and private-sector cooperation, and invited Qatari investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan's Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in the Karachi industrial area, where export-oriented manufacturing and industrial partnerships could provide access to domestic and international markets.

He encouraged the Qatari business community to expand business-to-business interactions with Pakistani counterparts and develop stronger people-to-people connections to translate the longstanding friendship between the two countries into tangible economic and commercial opportunities, and highlighted Pakistan's strategic geographical position and the potential for investors to access wider regional markets, including Africa, through improved trade connectivity and supply-chain networks.

The Qatar Chamber chairman highlighted changing global supply-chain dynamics and expressed interest in proposed regional transit routes and connectivity initiatives. Both sides recognised that improved logistics infrastructure, diversified supply chains and stronger regional transport connections could play a significant role in facilitating trade, reducing commercial barriers and opening new markets for businesses in both countries.

As part of his engagements with Qatar's private sector, Khan also met representatives of Retaj Group to discuss potential cooperation in the hospitality and tourism industries, during which the group expressed interest in exploring joint ventures with Pakistani business partners and examining opportunities to expand its hospitality brands into Pakistan and other Islamic countries.

The discussions focused on potential investment partnerships, hospitality-sector development and opportunities for greater collaboration between businesses of the two countries, with both sides recognising the potential of hospitality and tourism cooperation to encourage private investment, create new commercial opportunities and strengthen economic relations.

The series of meetings reflected Pakistan's continued efforts to diversify its international economic partnerships, attract foreign investment and strengthen its position in regional and global trade networks, and highlighted the growing importance of private-sector cooperation, regional connectivity, agricultural development, food security, industrial investment and hospitality in expanding economic relations.

Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to maintaining close engagement with international institutions, government counterparts and business communities to translate economic dialogue into practical trade and investment opportunities, and the meetings concluded with a shared understanding of the importance of continued institutional coordination, stronger business linkages and mutually beneficial partnerships to advance economic cooperation and sustainable growth.