According to the IBI headquarters launch, this is a milestone in the all-weather strategic partnership between Pakistan and China.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. Photo: APP
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26, saying the visit would include a dynamic business-to-business forum aimed at further strengthening trade ties.
FM Dar made the announcement at the launch of IBI Pakistan’s Digital Economy Headquarters in Islamabad, describing it as a powerful symbol of the enduring partnership between Pakistan and China and a new chapter in digital collaboration.
He said the launch of the IBI headquarters marked a transformative milestone in the all-weather strategic partnership between Pakistan and China.
Highlighting Prime Minister Shehbaz’s vision to make Pakistan a regional hub for digital innovation, he said the Pakistan-China partnership is moving from physical infrastructure, such as the Karakoram Highway and CPEC energy projects, to smart infrastructure, AI, ICT and digital connectivity.
“Today, we are moving from roads to networks, from physical infrastructure to digital architecture. Today we are building a digital Silk Road, starting with the launch of IBI’s headquarters in Islamabad,” he said.
DPM Dar told the gathering that under CPEC 2.0, cooperation extended beyond traditional sectors towards digital transformation, smart cities and climate resilience.
Sharing optimistic economic indicators, including falling inflation, rising GDP and declining political interest, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to bring Pakistan back on the roadmap to become one of the world’s top 20 economies.
With the world’s fifth largest population and a rapidly growing youth population, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted that Pakistan was no longer biding for its moment but had reached a stage of immense IT potential and global competitiveness.
Learn more: Pakistan, China sign $13 billion MoUs and joint ventures in 2 years
He welcomed Beijing United Information Technology (IBI) to Pakistan, noting that its platform – serving millions of businesses across 100 industrial sectors in China – reflected strong international confidence in Pakistan’s economy.
DPM Dar also lauded the efforts of Pakistan Ambassador to Beijing Khalil Hashmi for professionally facilitating the B2B forums, noting that 30 percent of the $10 billion MoUs signed during recent visits to China had already been translated into finalized projects.
