KARACHI – Pakistan: At the inaugural session of the 2nd edition of the Pakistan International Maritime Expo & Conference (PIMEC) 2025 held in Karachi, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal described Pakistan as a natural maritime gateway linking the economic power-houses of East and the booming markets of West.
Addressing delegates from across continents, the minister emphasised that Pakistan’s strategic coastline, three deep-water ports and developing maritime infrastructure position it uniquely to serve as a premier transit hub for goods, energy and digital trade. He underscored that initiatives under the nation’s “Uraan Pakistan” vision and the broader blue-economy agenda would translate geographical advantage into sustainable growth.
The minister further outlined that the conference would spotlight opportunities in port logistics, trans-shipment operations, shipping tech and integrated sea-land connectivity—sectors seen as critical to transforming Pakistan’s maritime belt into an engine of job creation, export growth and regional linkages.
Officials pointed to forthcoming public–private investment models, smart-port frameworks and regional trade route enhancements as key pillars of the roadmap unveiled at PIMEC. While the potential is substantial, the minister also acknowledged the need for regulatory clarity, infrastructure investment and institutional cooperation to realise the full scale of the opportunity.
With over 30 countries expected to participate in PIMEC 2025, Islamabad and Karachi hope the event will serve as a catalyst for the next wave of maritime transformation and signal Pakistan’s readiness to anchor a new chapter of maritime trade across Asia, the Gulf and beyond.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.