QUETTA: The Balochistan government will host its first-ever trade and investment exposition later this month as Pakistan seeks to showcase the province’s economic potential and attract domestic and foreign investors.
The Balochistan Investment and Trade Expo (BITE 2026) will be organised by the Balochistan Board of Investment and Trade (BBoIT) in collaboration with the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), reported the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, is rich in natural resources, including the Reko Diq and Saindak copper and gold mines, extensive coal reserves, and natural gas fields. Despite its resource wealth, it remains the country’s least developed province by many economic indicators.
The province has also faced a long-running insurgency. Ethnic Baloch militant groups accuse the federal government of exploiting the province’s natural resources while denying local communities their share of the benefits, an allegation Islamabad rejects.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting at BUITEMS on Tuesday, BBoIT Vice Chairman Bilal Khan Kakar said the expo aims to project a new image of the province.
“It is time to move beyond despair and present Balochistan as a peaceful, investment-friendly destination,” Kakar said.
The meeting brought together representatives from government departments, the private sector, financial institutions, academia, and civil society.
Kakar said Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has directed authorities to improve the business environment and facilitate investors through measures aimed at easing investment procedures.
He added that the provincial government is also promoting entrepreneurship and industrial development among young people, with the expo serving as a key part of that strategy.
BBoIT Chief Executive Officer Qaim Lashari said the event would provide a platform for established businesses, startups, and young entrepreneurs to connect with investors, financial institutions, and industry experts.
Balochistan is also home to several flagship projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiative linking China’s Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s deep-sea Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.
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However, progress on some CPEC projects has been slowed by militant attacks targeting Chinese nationals and infrastructure in the province, posing a persistent security challenge for Islamabad.
