Islamabad: Secretary General of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), Mr. Jiang Yi, met with Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi in Islamabad, where discussions focused on investment opportunities, technical cooperation, and enhancing regional connectivity through Pakistan Railways.

Mr. Yi, accompanied by a high-level delegation of representatives from leading Chinese logistics, transport, and aviation companies, engaged in detailed talks on strengthening the logistics network between Pakistan and China. The meeting highlighted the potential for foreign and private sector investment in Pakistan Railways, with Minister Abbasi briefing the delegation on ongoing development projects.

An agreement with the Asian Development Bank for the Karachi-Rohri section has been finalized, and cooperation with China is being explored for the Rohri-Peshawar, Nokundi-Gwadar, and ML-2 (Attock-Rohri) segments. The Minister emphasized the operational status of the Karachi-to-Peshawar rail corridor, which serves as a critical trade link to Central Asian states, while the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway project is seen as a strategic move to enhance regional connectivity and trade mobility.

The Chinese delegation expressed appreciation for Pakistan Railways’ reform agenda and modernization efforts. They showed interest in investing under the Build-Operate-Transfer framework in railway and freight corridor projects. Minister Abbasi reaffirmed Pakistan Railways’ openness to B2B partnerships and BOT-based collaborations, highlighting plans for technological cooperation with China to introduce modern freight management systems and digital logistics operations.

Chinese investment is expected to significantly improve infrastructure, operational efficiency, and transit capacity, positioning Pakistan as a regional railway transit hub. Both parties agreed to work on joint initiatives in technical training, technology transfer, and expansion of the logistics network in the coming months.

Minister Abbasi concluded the meeting by emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to a long-term economic partnership, sustainable railway development, and enhanced regional connectivity.