A Saudi business delegation led by Prince Mansour bin Muhammad Al-Saud has expressed strong interest in investing in Karachi’s port infrastructure, logistics connectivity, and green initiatives, according to Pakistani authorities. The visit underscores Islamabad’s ongoing efforts to expand maritime cooperation with its longtime Gulf ally.
The visit comes as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia seek to broaden their economic partnership beyond traditional trade, remittances, and financial support. Pakistan is actively seeking to modernize its ports, improve inland transport connections, and expand transshipment operations to strengthen its position in regional trade.
Prince Mansour, chairman of the Saudi chapter of the Saudi-Pakistani Joint Business Council, led the high-level delegation to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) headquarters and South Asia Pakistan Terminals Limited. Officials briefed the delegation on various investment opportunities and ongoing modernization projects.
The briefings focused heavily on the proposed 140-acre Maritime Business District in Karachi and the development of the Manora Shipyard, highlighting key areas for potential collaboration.
“Prince Mansour expressed keen interest in KPT’s Maritime Business District, green port initiatives, terminal infrastructure expansion, and connectivity initiatives, recognizing their scope for mutually beneficial Saudi investment and joint ventures,” the KPT said in a statement.
The Saudi-Pakistani Joint Business Council serves as a vital platform for businesses and investors from both nations to identify commercial opportunities and develop joint ventures. Prince Mansour has led several delegations to Pakistan as the two governments seek to translate their strong political and defense relationship into greater private-sector investment.
In June, KPT signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi and Pakistani partners to explore developing the maritime business district on Karachi’s MT Khan Road. The proposed development involves the Saudi Business Council–Najd Gateway Holding Company, Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Limited, and the Pakistan Corporate Consortium, aiming to accommodate commercial and maritime businesses.
The project was subsequently valued at approximately $5.4 billion in a proposal currently under evaluation by the port authority. Feasibility studies are expected to take up to 18 months, with construction potentially beginning in 2028, according to KPT officials.
KPT Chairman Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed also briefed the Saudi delegation on plans to expand terminal infrastructure and improve transport links, including the proposed M-10 Port Link, the KPT-Pipri Freight Corridor, the ML-1 railway linkage, and the East-West Wharves Connectivity Bridge.
Karachi Port handled a record 55.48 million tons of cargo and 2.75 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in the 2025-26 financial year, reflecting its critical role in regional maritime trade.
The delegation also visited South Asia Pakistan Terminals Limited, where members reviewed cargo-handling facilities and terminal operations to explore potential investment and operational synergies.
This growing economic engagement comes alongside closer defense ties. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic mutual defense agreement in September 2025 and joined Türkiye in signing the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August 2026, under which an armed attack on any one of the three countries is considered an attack on all.