Pakistan-Indonesia Trade set for stronger investment partnership, says Murad Ali Shah
Sindh chief minister invites Indonesian investors as business forum highlights trade expansion, joint ventures and progress towards a comprehensive economic partnership.
Murad Ali Shah addresses the Indonesia-Pakistan Investment and Business Forum in Karachi.
Pakistan-Indonesia Trade has significant potential for growth, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said as he invited Indonesian businesses to expand investment in the province during the Indonesia-Pakistan Investment and Business Forum in Karachi.
Addressing the forum as chief guest, Mr Shah said Pakistan and Indonesia could deepen cooperation in trade, investment and industrial development. He added that the Sindh government remained committed to providing every possible facility to foreign investors, particularly those from Indonesia.
The chief minister highlighted several major infrastructure projects under development, including the Sindh International Financial Centre, large-scale data centres and a new port at Keti Bandar. He said these initiatives aim to position Sindh as a regional hub for trade, investment and financial services.
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Mr Shah described Sindh as Pakistan’s economic backbone, noting that Karachi’s role as the country’s largest commercial, industrial, financial and maritime centre makes it an attractive destination for international investment. He identified renewable energy, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, information technology, transport, manufacturing and infrastructure as key sectors with strong potential for joint ventures between the two countries.
Indonesia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Lieutenant General (Retd) Chandra W. Sukotjo, said the time had come to transform the two countries’ 75-year relationship into a stronger economic partnership driven by trade, investment and industrial cooperation.
He noted that bilateral trade had exceeded $4 billion but said both countries possessed far greater economic potential. He called for stronger private-sector links, balanced trade and increased investment, adding that Indonesia serves as Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a gateway to ASEAN markets, while Pakistan’s strategic location positions it as an important regional trade corridor connecting South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East.
The ambassador also invited Pakistani businesses, investors and chambers of commerce to participate in the Trade Expo Indonesia, scheduled to take place in Jakarta in October 2026.
Indonesian Consul General in Karachi, Mardzakar M.A., said the forum forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen business ties, promote investment opportunities and encourage practical economic cooperation between the two countries.
He said the Indonesian Consulate in Karachi continues to facilitate trade delegations, investment promotion and partnerships between private-sector organisations. He added that sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food processing, energy, tourism and consumer products offer considerable opportunities for bilateral collaboration.
Participants at the forum also discussed investment opportunities in Indonesia, Pakistan’s investment priorities, market access, bilateral trade and progress towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The event concluded with the presentation of commemorative shields to distinguished guests and attracted business leaders, industrialists, exporters, importers and representatives from chambers of commerce and trade organisations from both countries.
