Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh promotes B2B partnerships, value-added mineral projects and advanced manufacturing in Pakistan’s surgical sector.
CHICAGO: Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has engaged key business leaders across Chicagoland to promote bilateral trade, commercial partnerships and greater US investment in Pakistan, particularly in the mineral and surgical instrument sectors.
The ambassador, accompanied by the Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago, held a series of high-level meetings with business representatives to highlight investment opportunities and strengthen business-to-business (B2B) linkages between Pakistan and the United States.
Ambassador Calls for Stronger B2B Partnerships
During a breakfast meeting hosted by the Pak American Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (PACC), Ambassador Sheikh encouraged business representatives to strengthen B2B partnerships and explore opportunities to expand their businesses and investments in Pakistan.
PACC President Naveed Anwar briefed the ambassador on his recent visit to Pakistan as part of a US business delegation and expressed confidence in the country’s economic prospects.
The discussions focused on strengthening commercial ties and creating opportunities for US businesses to participate in Pakistan’s growing investment sectors.
$200 Million Salt Joint Venture Highlighted
In a separate meeting, Nadeem Ahmad, President of Miracle Salt Works Collective Inc. (MSCI), briefed Ambassador Sheikh on the company’s ongoing $200 million joint venture with the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC).
The project involves the local crushing and packaging of high-quality Pakistani pink rock salt for export to international markets.
Ambassador Sheikh welcomed the initiative, describing it as a potential benchmark for value-added foreign direct investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector.
He highlighted the country’s substantial mineral resources and said greater investment in processing and value addition could help transform these resources into significant economic opportunities.
Focus on Value Addition in Surgical Industry
The ambassador also visited Phoenix Instruments in Naperville, a major finishing, packaging and distribution facility for Pakistani-manufactured surgical instruments serving the US healthcare market.
During the visit, Sheikh toured the facility and held discussions with company executives on ways to expand operations and help Pakistan’s surgical manufacturing industry move towards higher-value segments.
Pakistan is a major producer and exporter of surgical instruments, particularly from the Sialkot industrial cluster, with the industry supplying healthcare markets in several countries.
Sheikh called for greater US investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, specialised workforce training and skills development to help Pakistan’s surgical instrument industry move towards more technologically sophisticated production.
Push for Technology Transfer and Investment
The ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to developing sustainable, investment-led economic partnerships with the United States.
He emphasised the importance of technology transfer, value addition and skills development in expanding Pakistan’s export capacity and creating higher-value industrial opportunities.
The engagements in Chicago form part of Pakistan’s broader efforts to attract US investment and strengthen commercial partnerships by connecting American businesses with opportunities in Pakistan’s mineral resources, manufacturing and export-oriented sectors.