Pakistan HC London Hosts Road Show
for International Silk Route Festival 2026
Pak-Prism Report | Published July 20, 2026
Pakistan High Commission (HC) in collaboration with Silk Road Enterprises (SRE), recently hosted the International Silk Route Festival 2026 Road Show in London, bringing together distinguished diplomats, business leaders, tourism professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, media representatives, and members of the British-Pakistani community to promote Pakistan’s growing opportunities in tourism, trade, investment, culture, and regional connectivity.
In a press release, the HC said that the Road Show was led by Sadaf Khalid Khan, SRE global coordinator and director, Mian M Hashim Masood, SRE director, and Prince Shehryar Khan, SRE director.
The event commenced with a welcome address by Haseeb Bin Aziz, acting high commissioner of Pakistan to the United Kingdom, who warmly welcomed the distinguished speakers, guests, and participants. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom while promoting Pakistan as an emerging destination for tourism, business, investment, and cultural exchange.
The road show featured an impressive panel of speakers including Faraz Khan, co-founder & partner of Sustainability and founder & director of Seed Ventures; Christopher Wilton, Global Lead Communications at Aga Khan Foundation, London; Momin Saqib, entrepreneur, actor and social media activist; and Farzana Khan, founder of The Pakistani Dream 2028.
During her keynote presentation, Sadaf Khalid Khan officially introduced the International Silk Route Festival 2026, which will take place on 24–25 October 2026 at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and Serena Hotel, Islamabad.
In her remarks, Ms. Khan highlighted that International Silk Route Festival 2026 is proudly supported by Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Government of Pakistan, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Green Tourism (Pvt.) Ltd., and several other leading public and private sector organisations committed to promoting Pakistan as a premier destination for tourism, trade, investment, culture, and regional connectivity. She noted that the strong institutional support reflects a shared vision of showcasing Pakistan’s economic potential and strengthening international partnerships through tourism, investment, and cultural diplomacy.
Ms. Khan invited international investors, tour operators, travel trade professionals, tourism boards, diplomats, overseas Pakistanis, entrepreneurs, media representatives, travel influencers, and content creators to participate in the landmark international event. She explained that the festival aims to become one of Pakistan’s premier international platforms for promoting tourism, trade, investment, innovation, and cross-cultural collaboration.
She highlighted Pakistan’s extraordinary tourism potential, from the majestic Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountain ranges to its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ancient Silk Route heritage, rich cultural diversity, religious tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and rapidly growing hospitality sector. She emphasised that Pakistan’s strategic location at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, China, and the Middle East makes it an ideal destination for regional trade and investment. She encouraged international stakeholders to explore opportunities in sustainable tourism, hospitality, infrastructure development, renewable energy, technology, and cultural industries through participation in International Silk Route Festival.
Speaking during the road show, Prince Shehryar Khan highlighted Pakistan’s tremendous investment potential across multiple sectors. He emphasized that International Silk Route Festival will serve as a catalyst for attracting international investment in hospitality, international hotel brands, global food and beverage franchises, eco-friendly resorts, wellness tourism, tourism infrastructure, and sustainable development projects. He noted that Pakistan offers exciting opportunities for international businesses seeking to establish premium hospitality and lifestyle brands while contributing to the country’s expanding tourism economy.
Mian M. Hashim Masood invited international delegates to attend International Silk Route Festival and announced an exclusive Historic Silk Route Familiarization Tour following the festival. The journey will take delegates from Islamabad along the legendary Karakoram Highway through Gilgit-Baltistan to the iconic Khunjerab Pass, allowing participants to experience Pakistan’s breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and world-renowned hospitality while retracing one of history’s most significant trade routes.
Delivering an insightful presentation, Faraz Khan highlighted the growing importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives in Pakistan. He explained how sustainable investment, responsible business practices, and climate resilience projects can help Pakistan address environmental challenges while creating long-term economic growth and attracting responsible international investment.
Christopher Wilton shared his inspiring experiences travelling along the historic Silk Road, including his journey through Pakistan. He reflected on how cultural heritage, shared history, and people-to-people exchanges continue to build bridges between nations and communities from diverse backgrounds, highlighting Pakistan’s unique role in preserving the legacy of the ancient Silk Route.
Speaking passionately about Pakistan’s future, Momin Saqib highlighted that nearly two-thirds of Pakistan’s population consists of young people, making the country one of the world’s youngest nations. He emphasized that initiatives such as International Silk Route Festival can generate employment opportunities through tourism, technology, entrepreneurship, innovation, digital media, and the IT sector while empowering Pakistan’s youth to become ambassadors for the country on the global stage.
Farzana Khan shared her experiences of promoting Pakistan among the overseas Pakistani diaspora. She highlighted the country’s immense investment potential in luxury beach resorts, mountain resorts, ski tourism, eco-tourism, wellness tourism, and premium hospitality projects, encouraging overseas investors to rediscover Pakistan and contribute to its economic transformation.
The organizers reiterated that International Silk Route Festival 2026 has been conceived as Pakistan’s premier international platform for promoting tourism, trade, investment, culture, innovation, and regional connectivity. The festival is expected to bring together government representatives, diplomats, tourism ministries, national tourism organizations, chambers of commerce, international investors, tour operators, airlines, hospitality companies, travel influencers, media organizations, entrepreneurs, and cultural institutions from Pakistan, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.
Through exhibitions, investment forums, B2B networking sessions, tourism showcases, cultural performances, policy dialogues, and strategic partnerships, the festival aims to position Pakistan as a leading destination for international tourism and investment while strengthening regional cooperation along the historic Silk Route.
The Road Show concluded with an engaging networking reception, where participants discussed future collaborations and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting Pakistan as a dynamic destination for tourism, trade, investment, and international cooperation. The organizers expressed their gratitude to the high commission, all distinguished speakers, partners, sponsors, and guests for making the Road Show a resounding success and looked forward to welcoming delegates from around the world to Islamabad for International Silk Route Festival 2026 on 24–25 October 2026.