Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, during an official visit to Tianjin, held back-to-back high-level meetings aimed at boosting foreign investment in Pakistan’s road infrastructure sector. In a detailed session with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) Chairman Du Fei, the two sides explored expanding cooperation in road development and enhancing bilateral ties.
The discussion centered on landmark highway projects including the proposed Mansehra–Naran–Jhal Kand Motorway, with talks also covering investment opportunities, technical support, and long-term collaboration across various transport initiatives.
Chairman Du Fei, representing CRBC—a leading Chinese state-owned enterprise operating in over 70 countries across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa—conveyed his strong interest in deepening the corporation’s engagement in Pakistan. “It is an honour to contribute to infrastructure development in Pakistan,” he remarked.
Du Fei highlighted CRBC’s historic presence in the country, noting its involvement from 1995 to 2023 in signature projects such as the Sukkur Bypass, Karakoram Highway, and Karachi Coastal Highway. More recently, the corporation has expressed serious interest in large-scale ventures including the ML-1 Railway Project, Pakistan Refinery upgrades, Lahore Airport expansion, and the Raikot to Thakot Highway.
In response, Minister Abdul Aleem Khan assured the CRBC chairman of full government support. He expressed confidence that CRBC would continue to play a pivotal role in modernizing Pakistan’s communications infrastructure through impactful strategic investments.
Separately, the minister met senior officials from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), including Chief Investment Officer Konstantin Limitovskiy and Director General Public Sector Xiaohong Yang. He pitched two major highway projects—the M-6 Sukkur–Hyderabad and M-9 Karachi–Hyderabad motorways—as prime opportunities for investment.
These routes, he stressed, are crucial for connecting key trade corridors to the Karachi Port, potentially accelerating economic growth and national development. “Strategic projects like M6 and M9, which are directly connected to the Karachi Port, have the potential to transform Pakistan’s economy,” he emphasized.
Abdul Aleem Khan further underscored the strength of Pakistan-China cooperation, stating that AIIB’s involvement would bolster regional connectivity. “The growing Pak-China friendship is not only beneficial for both countries but also plays a vital role in promoting regional connectivity and prosperity,” he noted.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enabling international financial institutions to invest in infrastructure, calling it a catalyst for employment and economic uplift. “Investment in infrastructure is a guarantee of employment generation and economic prosperity,” he stated.
“Pakistan is actively working on major highway developments and cross-border land connectivity projects,” the minister told AIIB officials. In response, the bank’s leadership expressed a keen interest in backing Pakistan’s development priorities and voiced optimism over the outcomes of the meeting.
