By Abid Chaudhry
TWA
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The Board of Investment (BOI) and the Pakistan Association of Exhibition Industry (PAEI) have announced the second Pakistan Investment Summit and Smart Expo, to be held on November 2, 2024, at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel in Saudi Arabia. This significant event follows the successful inaugural conference held on May 11, 2024, which secured an impressive $19 million in investments.
The announcement was made during a meeting between Khurshid Barlas, Founder Chairman of PAEI, Fahad Barlas, Convener Exhibition, and Senior Director General of BOI, Zulfikar Ali. The meeting, also attended by Director Irfan Ullah Khan, highlighted the achievements of the first conference and outlined the plans for the upcoming event.
Chairman Khurshid Barlas briefed that the first Pakistan Investment Conference and Smart Expo, inaugurated by Khalid Majeed, Consul General of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia, exceeded expectations with substantial participation from Pakistani and Saudi delegates. The event focused on fostering bilateral investment opportunities and strengthening economic ties between the two nations.
The upcoming summit in November is expected to attract a diverse range of business communities from sectors such as tourism, minerals, medical, civil aviation, construction materials, private development, and education. This broad participation underscores the potential for extensive collaboration and investment across multiple industries.
Zulfikar Ali, Senior Director General of BOI, commended the efforts of the Pakistan Association of Exhibition Industry, stating, “Your efforts to grow the country’s economy are commendable.” He assured full support from the BOI for the upcoming event, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives in bolstering Pakistan’s economic growth.
In a gesture of appreciation, Khurshid Barlas presented a shield to Zulfikar Ali, symbolizing the partnership and commitment between the BOI and PAEI in promoting investment opportunities.