Pakistan-USA Business and Economic Conference Held in Illinois

The 6th Pak-U.S. Business & Investment Opportunities Conference, jointly organized by the Consulate General of Pakistan in Chicago and the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce (RCCI), took place in Addison, Illinois on July 30, 2024. The event was attended by a large number of people, including members of the Pakistani American business community. The delegation from Pakistan represented diverse sectors.

Addressing the audience, Consul General Tariq Karim welcomed the guests, stating that the participation of a large business delegation from Pakistan reflected a strong commitment to enhancing Pak-U.S. partnership and exploring new avenues for investment and collaboration. He highlighted Pakistan's key advantages such as its geographic location, demographic dividend, market size, rich human and natural resources, growing tech ecosystem, and investor-friendly policies that make it an attractive business and investment destination. He stated that the government has been successfully working to address macroeconomic challenges by introducing various reforms. He mentioned that the establishment of SIFC was transforming the investment landscape of the country by providing a single window interface and speedy approvals.

The Consul General highlighted the significance and various dimensions of the Pak-U.S. relations, including growing trade volume and successful businesses of U.S. enterprises in Pakistan. He shared his key priorities and initiatives, noting the growing partnership with the Midwest region in trade, investment, and people-to-people contacts, highlighting the growth in Pakistani exports and investments in sectors like IT, Pink Rock Salt, healthcare, energy, and agriculture from the Midwest region. He also mentioned the recent Joint-Venture Agreement between the Wisconsin-based MSCI and PMDC as a significant step in promoting Pakistan as an attractive investment destination. He encouraged more business-to-business interactions between the two countries.

The senior leadership of the RCCI briefed about the investment opportunities in Pakistan and the Chamber’s efforts to enhance commercial ties with the U.S. in different sectors. The event featured an interactive panel discussion, a Q&A session, and concluded with productive business-to-business meetings.