KARACHI – Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq, emphasized textiles, agriculture, and red meat as critical sectors for Pakistani businesses to target in order to boost exports to Saudi Arabia.
Farooq made these remarks during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), where he met with prominent Pakistani business leaders and industrialists, as reported by the KCCI.
The ambassador noted that Pakistan’s exports to Saudi Arabia had surged by 40% in the 2023-24 period, with the information technology (IT) sector seeing a remarkable 50% growth.
Last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed 34 agreements valued at nearly $3 billion, with memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $700 million already in the implementation phase, according to Farooq.
“We aim to connect large businesses with local distributors in Saudi Arabia to facilitate exports,” he stated, as quoted by the KCCI. “We should share a list of key exporters in these sectors with the embassy to strengthen trade relations.”
Farooq pointed out that Pakistani textile, agriculture, and meat products (beef and mutton) had experienced significant growth in the Saudi market and added that the Kingdom presents ample opportunities for Pakistani businesses.
“The purpose of my visit is to explore business opportunities with the Karachi business community and inform them of the support Pakistan’s embassy can offer in accessing the Saudi market,” he said.
Regarding the increasing demand for skilled labor, Farooq shared that over 3 million Pakistanis currently reside in Saudi Arabia, with 97% working as “blue-collar workers.”
