KARACHI: Pakistan has invited Qatari investors to explore opportunities in agriculture, electric vehicles (EVs), information technology and maritime sectors, the country’s commerce ministry said on Sunday, as Islamabad seeks to expand economic ties with Doha and attract foreign investment.

The statement came after Pakistani Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs Dr. Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed co-chaired the second meeting of the Pakistan–Qatar Joint Task Force (JTF) on Trade and Investment in Doha to review progress on bilateral economic cooperation.

After years of economic turmoil, Pakistan has been treading a long path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and is seeking to boost foreign investment to support sustainable growth, improve external financing position and expedite industrial activity.

During their meeting in Doha, Pakistani and Qatari officials reviewed progress since the inaugural JTF meeting in April 2026 and discussed measures to strengthen bilateral trade, facilitate investment and advance cooperation across priority economic sectors.

“Pakistan invited Qatari investment in modern agriculture, grain storage facilities, silos, cold storage, integrated cold-chain infrastructure and advanced farming technologies. Opportunities for developing sustainable food supply arrangements to strengthen food security in both countries were also discussed,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.

“The Pakistani side presented investment opportunities in the automobile sector, particularly New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) and electric vehicles under the country’s new EV policy framework. Possibilities for joint manufacturing, technology transfer and industrial partnerships were also highlighted.”

Pakistan invited Qatari investment in information technology and digital infrastructure, highlighting its growing IT exports and opportunities for technology partnerships and expansion of digital services. In the maritime sector, officials identified opportunities for cooperation in shipping and maritime transport, particularly in securing oil tankers, LNG carriers and container vessels to strengthen energy security and international trade connectivity.

The Qatari side emphasized enhanced cooperation in civil aviation and air traffic between the two countries. Pakistan welcomed the proposal and informed the meeting that aviation-related matters would also be addressed through the Technical Working Group on Logistics and Communications, according to the statement.

The Pakistani side also presented the concept of an Investment Fund, highlighting opportunities for Qatari participation in infrastructure, agriculture, industrial development, information technology and other priority sectors.

“Pakistan stressed the importance of early operationalization of the eleven Technical Working Groups identified during the first Joint Task Force meeting,” the commerce ministry said. “These groups cover priority sectors including logistics, aviation, advanced manufacturing, mining and minerals, agriculture, tourism, financial technology, health care, education, industrial development, information technology and startups.”

The Pakistani side further emphasized that the working groups should identify concrete trade and investment opportunities, address outstanding issues and prepare sector-wise progress reports and recommendations ahead of the Third Meeting of the Joint Task Force, according to the statement.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic cooperation through sustained engagement, improved trade facilitation, enhanced investment partnerships and effective follow-up under the Joint Task Force framework.

Pakistan enjoys robust trade and investment relations with Qatar. In 2022, the Qatari emir’s office said that the Qatar Investment Authority aims to invest $3 billion in Pakistan to support the South Asian nation’s cash-strapped economy. This investment would focus on Pakistan’s transport, civil aviation, education, health, culture, media, communications, information technology and labor sectors, the emir’s office said.

Qatar is also host to almost 300,000 Pakistanis, which is a large part of the country’s total population, according to Pakistan’s foreign office. The Gulf country employs a large number of Pakistanis in the health, education, engineering, finance and public service sectors.

A large number of semi-skilled and unskilled Pakistani work force also dominate the construction and transport sectors of Qatar. Pakistan’s efforts to expand employment opportunities for its skilled labor in Qatar have led to both sides signing several memoranda of understanding and letters of intent over the years.