Sindh CM assures Chinese investors of security, announces over two dozen MoUs

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday assured Chinese investors of the provincial government’s commitment to protecting Chinese nationals and their projects, saying a dedicated security unit had been established within the Sindh police and its capacity was being further strengthened.

Addressing the Sindh Investment and Trade Conference in Shanghai, the chief minister said the provincial government was committed to deploying all necessary resources to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and investments in Sindh.

“It is our government’s pledge to make sure that all resources are used to ensure the safety of Chinese people and of Chinese projects in Sindh,” he said.

CM Shah also expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for assisting in building the capacity of the provincial police to improve security arrangements.

The chief minister’s remarks came as he invited Chinese business leaders to explore investment opportunities in Sindh, announcing that more than two dozen memorandums of understanding (MoUs) would be signed across key sectors during the conference.

The proposed agreements would cover energy and minerals, electric vehicles and automobile manufacturing, digital transformation, food processing, logistics, warehousing and trade, underscoring the provincial government’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with China.

“I’m glad to inform you that today more than two dozen memorandums of agreement will be signed across these sectors,” he said, adding that each agreement would be assigned a dedicated focal person in the Sindh Investment Department and reviewed at the highest level of the provincial government.

“For us, signing is just the beginning of the work and not the end,” he said, emphasising the need to translate investment commitments into tangible economic activity.

CM Shah highlighted Sindh’s strategic location, economic base, natural resources, investment incentives and existing Chinese investments as key reasons for investors to consider the province.

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He described Karachi as Pakistan’s financial capital and a gateway for seaborne trade, connecting investors to markets across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. He also pointed to the presence of the State Bank of Pakistan and the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi, as well as Sindh’s young and increasingly skilled workforce.

“Thar holds about 175 billion tonnes of lignite, one of the largest coal reserves in the world,” the chief minister said, adding that the province’s wind corridor had an estimated potential of around 50,000 megawatts.

He also highlighted Sindh’s agricultural production, including rice, cotton, wheat, sugarcane, fruits and dates.

Outlining the province’s investment framework, CM Shah said special economic zones offered incentives guaranteed by law, including a 10-year income tax exemption and duty-free imports of capital goods. He also noted that Sindh was the first province in Pakistan to enact public-private partnership legislation.

Referring to a regional assessment cited during the conference, he said Sindh had been ranked sixth alongside sovereign countries, highlighting the province’s standing as an investment destination.

The Sindh Investment Department, he added, offered one-window facilitation to investors, from initial enquiries to the commencement of production.

Chinese investment in Sindh

The chief minister cited several Chinese enterprises already operating in the province as evidence of the potential for further cooperation.

He said Shanghai Electric’s Thar Block-I project, featuring a 1,320-megawatt power plant, had been in commercial operation since 2023, supplying electricity to millions of homes using locally sourced coal.

He also mentioned China Machinery Engineering Corporation’s operations at Thar Block-II and China Three Gorges Corporation’s wind farm at Jhimpir.

CM Shah also highlighted the operations of Service Long March Tyres, a Pakistan-China joint venture based in Nooriabad, saying the company had begun exporting to the United States and Brazil.

He pointed to the expansion of Chinese automobile manufacturers in Pakistan, including BYD, Changan, JAC and Dongfeng, describing electric vehicles and automobile manufacturing as sectors in which bilateral cooperation could be expanded.

“BYD sold more than 10,000 vehicles within months of its launch in Pakistan and is now setting up a 25,000 vehicles per day manufacturing facility, which is almost complete. Similarly, Changan Automobiles, Jack Motors and Dongfeng Motors, among others, are doing business in collaboration with local businesses,” the chief minister said.

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Other companies he cited included United Energy Group, Pakistan-China Electric, China National Nuclear Corporation and Hutchison Ports.

Looking ahead, CM Shah identified energy and minerals, including coal-to-chemicals and the wider Thar value chain, as major areas for future collaboration. Electric vehicles, automobile manufacturing, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, smart cities, food processing and logistics were also highlighted as sectors with considerable potential.

Concluding his address, CM Shah invited Chinese business leaders to visit Sindh and assess its investment opportunities firsthand, describing deeper economic engagement as a natural extension of the 75-year friendship between Pakistan and China.

Referring to the Chinese philosopher Laozi’s saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, he said the two countries could take further steps together to build a stronger economic partnership. “Shanghai showed the world what investment can achieve. Sindh invites you to build the next story with us,” he said.

He urged Chinese investors to invest with confidence and grow alongside local businesses, adding that the province was ready to welcome new partnerships. “China and Pakistan have built a friendship that has withstood the test of time. Now let us build businesses that shape the future.”