ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday discussed bilateral cooperation in port, rail and logistics with DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the Pakistani president’s office said amid Islamabad’s drive to position itself as a regional trade and transit hub.
Pakistan and the UAE have stepped up cooperation in recent months by signing various agreements. Both signed two inter-governmental framework agreements to establish a dedicated rail freight corridor and an economic zone near the southern port city of Karachi in 2024, covering more than $3 billion in planned investments.
In September 2025, DP World formally partnered with Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC) and the Pakistan Railways to build the first phase of a $400 million freight corridor linking Karachi Port with the Pipri marshalling yard, a major rail hub on the city’s outskirts.
“The President reaffirmed the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to providing institutional facilitation and fast-track approvals to partner enterprises,” Zardari’s office said in a statement about his meeting with Sulayem.
“And underscored the importance of deepening long-term cooperation in rail freight modernization, inland logistics and integrated freight corridors.”
