Islamabad (GNP): Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia has urged closer industrial cooperation with China through joint ventures, technology transfer and manufacturing investment. He said industrialisation is essential for Pakistan’s sustainable economic growth, export development and job creation. He made the remarks while meeting a 13-member delegation of the Pakistan-China Business Forum (PCBF), led by Chief Patron Lt. General (R) Abdul Qayyum and Co-Chairman Sheikh Ejaz Asghar.
Zia said that turning bilateral engagements into real economic results requires steady follow-up, effective business matchmaking and a clear grasp of each side’s commercial interests. He suggested three practical steps: a comprehensive directory of Chinese companies and their products, a product and technology display centre at ICCI, and a dedicated facilitation desk for Chinese businesses in Islamabad.
Stressing the need for modern industrial infrastructure, Zia said he is advocating a new industrial estate in Islamabad, possibly covering 8,000 acres or more, with Chinese companies invited to help develop it.
The estate, he said, could draw investment in manufacturing, electric vehicles and other emerging industries, while Chinese expertise could support infrastructure, modern waste management, recycling and waste-to-energy projects. He argued that Islamabad’s strategic location and closeness to government institutions make it an appealing investment destination.
He also proposed holding a major Pakistan-China Expo in Islamabad in March 2027, ahead of upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) engagements, to display products, promote investment and enable direct business-to-business contacts.
Lasting cooperation, effective institutional support and practical engagement, he said, are needed to turn the long-standing friendship between the two countries into mutually beneficial commercial partnerships.
Sheikh Ejaz Asghar, who is also Chairman of Voltrix Batteries and has worked for some 30 years to promote ties between the two countries, said the group is keen to invest in the proposed Islamabad Industrial Estate and to help build a state-of-the-art expo facility showcasing products from both nations. The delegation, he said, is ready to sign joint venture agreements with Pakistani firms.
He described plans to bring an electric bus project to Pakistan and pointed to openings in electric vehicles, electrical equipment, manufacturing, trade and distribution, local production and technical training. The group, he added, is looking for dependable Pakistani partners, sales channels and industrial facilities to set up long-term operations.
Lt. General (R) Abdul Qayyum outlined the group’s initiatives to strengthen economic cooperation between Pakistan and China. Wei Linzhuo, President of PCBF Beijing, and Yuan Bangxiang, Chairman of Shengtang EV Bus, also took part. Former ICCI presidents Mian Akram Farid and Mohammad Ejaz Abbasi stressed the importance of expanding business ties through investment, joint ventures and sustained private-sector collaboration.
Also read: IACA Appoints Pakistan’s Dr Tafakhar Ali Asdi as External Auditor
ICCI Senior Vice President Mohammad Ashfaq Chatha, Vice President Mohammad Waqas Khan, and Executive Members Iftikhar Anwar Sethi, Abbas Hashmi, Israr ul Haq, Syed Imran Bukhari, Malik Rashid Tufail, Abrar ul Haq, Bilal Sohail Siddiqui, Mohammad Arif and Sadaf Asim Abbasi were among those present, along with other members of the business community.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
