KARACHI: Pakistan is set to receive approximately $2 billion in foreign investment to modernize Port Qasim as a part of a long term strategy to expand the country’s maritime infrastructure and strengthen trade connectivity.
Officials say the funding is expected to come from China, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates over the next 30 years. The investment will go toward upgrading port facilities, improving transport links, and increasing the port’s cargo handling capacity.
A central part of the plan is a $250 million dredging project, which has entered its first phase. Once finished, the project will allow vessels with a draft of up to 18 meters to dock at Port Qasim, enabling the port to handle larger ships than it currently progress.
Pakistan is reportedly set to receive around $2 billion in new investment to modernize Port Qasim under a long term development plan. The investment is expected from the UAE, Türkiye, Qatar and China, to be deployed over the next 30 years to expand port infrastructure, improve… pic.twitter.com/NuNK84dG3l
— Hype Pakistan (@HypePakistan) July 19, 2026
The Reko Diq Mining Company is also expected to invest $150 million in the port as construction begins on rail infrastructure designed to transport minerals from the Reko Diq mine in Balochistan to Port Qasim for export.
As part of the Main Line-1, railway project, a new rail link is being built between Pipri and Port Qasim. This railway is also expected to support future coal exports from the Thar coalfields.
Authorities are working to combine sea, rail, and road transport into a single, unified logistics network to improve how cargo moves across Pakistan. As part of this effort, a multi logistics park is planned for Pipri, aimed at easing freight traffic on some of Karachi’s busiest roads.
Officials also said plans are being developed to link Gwadar Port, Karachi Port, and Port Qasim through an integrated transport system, with the goal of strengthening Pakistan’s broader trade and logistics capabilities.
Taken together, these projects reflect a broader push to position Pakistan as a more competitive player in regional trade, with officials betting that stronger port infrastructure and better connected transport networks will help attract further investment and support long term economic growth over the coming decades.
