Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Saturday that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Phase-II would promote business-to-business investment through infrastructure.
Addressing the Doha Forum, the finance czar said that Pakistan had achieved economic stability, and fiscal and energy reforms were underway following the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
He said, “Improvements in Pakistan’s exports have encouraged IT services. Exports of IT services are expected to reach $4 billion in the current financial year.”
He added that remittances from Gulf countries are expected to be between $18 and $20 billion annually. He noted that the devastating floods had caused a 0.5 per cent decline in the country’s economic growth.
The finance minister said that Pakistan had expressed its determination to strengthen cooperation with Qatar in the LNG, agriculture, and textile sectors, while emphasising seasonal investment.
He said that there were new opportunities in trade and technology in Pakistan, and that collaboration with Qatar had increased, including in artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
He added that the IMF’s $1.3 billion RSF programme aimed to address seasonal risks.
FinMin Aurangzeb said that young freelancers could increase earnings through blockchain, AI, and digital skills, and that the FTA with Qatar would further strengthen cooperation in energy and artificial intelligence.
