Pakistan, April 5 -- Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week directed authorities to finalize selected proposals to bolster trade and investment with "friendly countries," state-run media reported.

Islamabad has increasingly eyed foreign trade and investment that benefits its priority sectors in a bid to bolster its fragile $350 billion economy.

It formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) government body in 2023 to attract foreign investment in agriculture, livestock, mining and minerals, energy, tourism and other sectors from China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Central Asian countries and other Gulf states.

"Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday ...