KARACHI: Qatar’s Retaj Group has expressed interest in expanding its hospitality brands into Pakistan through joint ventures with local partners, Pakistan’s commerce ministry said on Tuesday, as Islamabad seeks investment from the Gulf state.

Pakistan is seeking foreign capital to support economic growth under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund program, with Gulf countries among its principal investment partners. Islamabad has been promoting opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and tourism.

The outreach builds on a broader investment relationship with Qatar. In 2022, the Qatar Investment Authority announced plans to invest $3 billion in Pakistan.

“During the meeting, Retaj Group expressed interest in exploring joint ventures with Pakistani business partners and examining opportunities to expand its hospitality brands into Pakistan and other brotherly Islamic countries,” the commerce ministry in Islamabad said.

The statement did not identify proposed locations, investment amounts or a timetable for the potential expansion. It announced no signed agreement.

Retaj’s hospitality business is based in Doha and operates hotels across Qatar, Asia, Europe and Africa, according to UN Tourism, which lists the company among its affiliate members.

Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan met the group’s representatives during engagements on October 25–26 on the sidelines of the World Investment Forum in Doha. The ministry said their discussions covered hospitality development and possible investment partnerships.

In separate talks with the chairman of Qatar Chamber, Khan invited Qatari businesses to invest in Pakistan’s special economic zones, particularly in Karachi’s industrial area, and pursue export-oriented manufacturing partnerships.

He also encouraged closer links between companies in the two countries and discussed regional transport routes and supply chains. The chamber chairman expressed interest in proposed connectivity initiatives, according to the Pakistani statement, which provided no details of specific projects or commitments.

Khan’s meeting with Qatar’s minister of municipality focused on agricultural cooperation, food security and food supply chains.

The engagements followed wider bilateral discussions on investment and trade. Qatar’s state news agency QNA said officials from both countries discussed obstacles to trade, the proposed Pakistan–Gulf Cooperation Council free trade agreement, and cooperation in food security, industry, technology and logistics during meetings in Doha.

Khan also met the secretary-general of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation to discuss implementation of its preferential trade agreement and the group’s goal of increasing trade among members to $500 billion by 2030.

The commerce ministry said those discussions emphasized greater private-sector participation and improved market access to turn existing economic agreements into commercial opportunities.