Maryam, Us Delegation Discuss Expanding Investment Partnership

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday called for opening a new chapter in Pakistan-US relations through investment, technology and innovation, saying Punjab was fully prepared to welcome foreign investors with a business-friendly environment and world-class incentives.

Addressing a high-level US business delegation, the chief minister said it was an honour to welcome the delegation comprising representatives from the health, artificial intelligence, information technology, minerals and energy sectors. She noted that the delegation’s visit reflected renewed confidence of American investors in Punjab.

She thanked the Special Investment Facilitation Council for facilitating the meeting and expressed confidence that it would yield positive outcomes. “The next chapter of Pakistan-US relations should be driven by investment, technology and innovation, while stronger private-sector collaboration can further deepen bilateral ties,” she said. The chief minister described Punjab as the engine of Pakistan’s economy, contributing 55.7 percent to the national GDP, 57.5 percent to agriculture, 48 percent to manufacturing and 57.4 percent to the services sector.

She said Punjab, home to nearly 130 million people, was Pakistan’s largest province, with 65 percent of its population under the age of 30, providing a dynamic and skilled workforce for long-term economic growth.

She said Punjab hosted 20 Special Economic Zones and two Export Processing Zones, offering investors a strong industrial base. The province, she added, was also the driving force behind Pakistan’s digital economy, supported by a growing IT ecosystem and a large pool of technology professionals.

Highlighting reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business, the chief minister said Punjab offered a One Government, One Window solution, while the Chief Minister’s Global Investment Gateway would simplify investment procedures. She said SIFC was fast-tracking matters at the federal level, whereas her office ensured timely implementation by provincial departments without bureaucratic delays or red tape.

She said investors in SEZs were entitled to a 10-year income tax exemption and a one-time duty exemption on imported capital goods. Long-term lease arrangements and lease-based land allocation were also available to reduce investment costs. Foreign investors, she added, could avail themselves of 20 percent subsidised lease rates, while additional incentives had been introduced for export-oriented, outsourcing and green production firms.

Maryam Nawaz said the government aimed to integrate more than 15 licensing authorities on a single digital platform, reducing compliance costs by 40 to 60 percent. She highlighted the province’s “Zero Time to Start” policy, allowing businesses to commence operations immediately while regulatory approvals continued in parallel.

The chief minister said Punjab had a wide range of investment-ready projects. She highlighted the Ravi Urban Development Authority project, spread over 140,000 acres along a 46-kilometre stretch of the Ravi River, describing it as one of the largest development projects in Pakistan’s history.

She said the Central Business District (CBD) offered three major investment projects worth $620 million, while the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme would deliver 500,000 affordable housing units, creating significant demand for construction materials and modular building technologies.

Concluding her address, the chief minister said Punjab stood at a decisive moment in its economic journey, offering investment-ready opportunities across multiple sectors. She reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to ensuring swift implementation of projects without unnecessary delays.