Member states of the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation are pursuing steps to reach a $500 billion intra-member trade target by 2030, Secretary General Sohail Mahmood said on Tuesday, underscoring the role of D-8 economic cooperation in opening commercial space among partners. He spoke while meeting Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan in Doha on the sidelines of the World Investment Forum 2026.
Preferential Trade Agreement after Egypt’s nod
The commerce ministry said Mr Mahmood welcomed Pakistan’s continued support for the organisation and stressed the need to put the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement into practice following Egypt’s ratification. That agreement is meant to ease trade among members once fully applied.
Both sides said existing cooperation frameworks should be turned into real business chances. They pointed to greater private-sector participation, improved market access and stronger commercial linkages among member states as practical ways to lift trade.
Pakistan’s pledge and Karachi investment pitch
Mr Khan restated Pakistan’s commitment to work within the D-8 framework and to back efforts that facilitate trade, encourage investment and promote sustainable growth. The exchange framed D-8 economic cooperation as a channel for investment as well as merchandise flows.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s investment potential and invited Qatari investors to look at special economic zones, particularly in the Karachi industrial area. There, he said, export-oriented manufacturing and industrial partnerships could open routes into Pakistan’s domestic market and into international markets.
What officials say comes next
The meeting did not announce a new numerical target beyond the existing $500 billion goal for 2030. Instead, the focus was on delivery: applying the Preferential Trade Agreement, drawing firms into cross-border deals and using platforms such as special economic zones to convert political commitments into shipments and investment.
For readers following D-8 economic cooperation, the immediate signal is continuity—Pakistan remains engaged, Egypt’s ratification is treated as a reason to move faster on the preferential pact, and Doha was used to court Gulf capital alongside the wider group agenda.
Aasan alfaaz mein
D-8 ke mumalik 2030 tak apas mein $500 billion tijarat ka hadaf poora karna chahte hain. Doha mein Pakistan ke commerce minister aur D-8 ke secretary general ne Preferential Trade Agreement lagoo karne aur private business ko aage lane ki baat ki. Pakistan ne Qatari investors ko Karachi ke special economic zones mein mauqe dekhne ki dawat di. Agar yeh rabte mazboot huein to tijarat aur investment ke mauqe barh sakte hain.
