Pakistan asks Qatar to help speed up signing of GCC free trade deal

Pakistan has called for the early signing of its free trade agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and asked Qatar to help move it forward. The Ministry of Commerce said the request was made during talks in Doha.

Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, Dr Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, co-chaired the second meeting of the Pakistan-Qatar Joint Task Force on Trade and Investment on October 24. The meeting reviewed bilateral economic cooperation and looked at new opportunities in trade, investment and industrial partnerships. Representatives of relevant Pakistani ministries took part virtually.

Pakistan told the meeting that it had completed its domestic approval process and sent the approved text of the agreement to the GCC Secretariat on December 31, 2025. It urged Qatar to help speed up the remaining formalities.

On agriculture, Pakistan asked for the resolution of restrictions on its bone-in meat exports to Qatar, saying it had already submitted a technical dossier on animal health and food safety requirements. The sides also discussed a proposed government-to-government arrangement between the Trading Corporation of Pakistan and Qatar's Hassad Food for supplying Pakistani rice. That proposal has been sent to the federal cabinet for approval. Pakistan also invited Qatari investment in modern agriculture, grain storage, silos, cold storage, cold-chain infrastructure and advanced farming technologies.

Pakistan presented investment opportunities in electric vehicles, automobile manufacturing, information technology and digital infrastructure, and discussions covered joint manufacturing, technology transfer and industrial partnerships. In the maritime sector, it highlighted opportunities for Qatar to invest in shipping and help secure oil tankers, liquefied natural gas carriers and container vessels. The proposed Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway was offered as an investment to improve links between seaports, the national road network and regional trade routes. Pakistan also presented the idea of an investment fund covering infrastructure, agriculture, industrial development and information technology.

Pakistan asked for the early launch of 11 technical working groups covering agriculture, logistics, aviation, advanced manufacturing, mining, tourism, healthcare, financial technology, education, IT and startups. It said they should identify specific trade and investment opportunities, address outstanding issues and prepare sector-wise recommendations before the third meeting of the task force, which Pakistan will host.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to stronger trade facilitation and investment cooperation. Jam Kamal Khan and Al-Sayed also signed the minutes of the first task force meeting.