By Kamran Muraad

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ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (APP):Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Regional Head Ms. Leah Gutierrez on Tuesday called on Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and expressed the Bank’s commitment to scale up investments in Pakistan, particularly in the transport and communications sector. She reaffirmed that Pakistan remains a priority country under ADB’s development program.

The ADB Regional Head, accompanied by a delegation, also invited the minister to participate in the upcoming Bishkek Conference in November 2025, said a press release.

Welcoming the Regional Head, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said that Pakistan values its partnership with ADB noting that the Bank’s interest in road infrastructure development in the country is highly encouraging. He highlighted that significant investment opportunities exist in Pakistan’s Communications, Railways and Infrastructure sectors.

Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan underscored the importance of “CAREC” in attracting international investment, remarking that bringing together multiple countries under one roof for investment in Pakistan is a positive step that will particularly enhance the road infrastructure and overall communications sector.

During the meeting, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to complete trade corridors through Iran, Afghanistan, and China, adding that such connectivity would not only strengthen trade but also promote tourism, as well.

He pointed out the necessity of launching direct flights between countries, alongside railway track upgrades and road construction.

He informed the ADB delegation that Pakistan has made remarkable progress in visa facilitation enabling the issuance of multiple-entry visas particularly for the business community within 24 hours.

He further proposed that Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Member States, similar to SAARC could consider streamlined visa issuance and enhanced regional connectivity.

The ADB Regional Head and delegation members assured that the Bank would continue to expand investments in Pakistan not only in the communications sector but also across other fields while promoting both B2B and G2G initiatives.

Senior officials, including the Federal Secretary for Communications, the Chairman of the National Highway Authority and other high-ranking officers also briefed the ADB delegation on key departmental matters, during the meeting.