China has expressed strong interest in investing in Pakistan Railways, marking a new phase of cooperation between the two countries. The development follows a high-level meeting in Islamabad between Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and Jiang Yi. Secretary General of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC). Along with senior representatives from China’s logistics, transport, and aviation sectors.
During the talks, both sides agreed to expand technical cooperation, enhance freight operations. And explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s railway network. They emphasized the importance of building cross-border logistics links to support trade, regional integration, and economic growth.
Minister Abbasi highlighted Pakistan Railways’ ongoing modernization drive and welcomed foreign and private investment in key infrastructure projects. He shared that a financing agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has already been signed for the Karachi–Rohri section, while discussions with China are underway for other strategic routes, including Rohri–Peshawar, Nokundi–Gwadar, and the ML-2 corridor connecting Attock to Rohri.
He noted that the Karachi–Peshawar main line remains fully operational and serves as a vital link for trade between Pakistan and Central Asian nations. Abbasi also underlined the importance of the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul (ITI) railway corridor, which aims to strengthen regional connectivity and promote efficient freight movement across borders.
The Chinese delegation praised Pakistan’s reform strategy and openness to public–private partnerships. They expressed keen interest in collaborating under the Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) model, particularly in freight handling and railway infrastructure projects. Dawn
Minister Abbasi reaffirmed that Pakistan Railways is ready to engage with Chinese companies under BOT-based frameworks. He added that future cooperation will introduce advanced freight technologies, digital logistics systems. And modern engineering standards, helping transform the country’s rail network into a more efficient and competitive system.
The talks reflect the deepening economic ties between Pakistan and China. Building on the success of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and broader regional development goals. Wikipedia,
[…] 3.4 million people. And plans to engage another 1.2 million individuals during FY2026 as part of its broader financial education […]