ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met a delegation of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group on Thursday, directing authorities to form a committee to further promote e-commerce in Pakistan.
Pakistani financial analysts say the country’s growing Internet penetration — with over 80% teledensity — was already fueling e-commerce, despite the fact that it still accounts for less than 1% of the overall retail market. This has also forced several retailers to shift to digital platforms.
A six-member Alibaba Group delegation, led by the group’s president of international markets James Dong, called on PM Sharif to discuss promoting e-commerce in the South Asian country. During the meeting, Sharif noted that 300,000 Pakistanis are currently selling locally produced products on e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba Group.
“The prime minister directed the formation of a committee to develop a roadmap for further promoting e-commerce in the country,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gestures during a meeting with six-member delegation of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad on July 10, 2025. (Handout/PMO)
