PM reaffirms Pakistan's commitment to expanding trade, investment cooperation with EU

Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met a high-level delegation from the European Union (EU) accompanied by senior representatives of major European companies, and reiterated that Pakistan remains firmly committed to expanding trade and investment cooperation with the EU.

During the discussions, the prime minister assured the visiting delegation that his government is consistently pursuing efforts to support economic growth and further strengthen bilateral commercial ties.

PM Shehbaz also briefed them on Pakistan’s ongoing focus on stabilizing the national economy despite external challenges, including rising global oil prices driven by tensions in the Middle East.

The delegation was headed by Peteris Ustubs, Director for Asia Pacific at the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships, and included Thourya Triki of the European Investment Bank along with senior executives from leading European firms such as Adidas Vice President Manuel Pauser, Andritz Vice President Karl Schloegelbauer, and IKEA Regional Director Dieter Metkke. The EU Ambassador to Pakistan, Raimundas Karoblis, was also present during the meeting.

The visiting team is in Pakistan to participate in the EU-Pakistan Business Forum.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warmly welcomed the delegation and thanked for attending the event, noting that the EU stands as Pakistan’s largest trading partner and remains the primary destination for the country’s exports.

He expressed confidence that the Business Forum would play a key role in further deepening trade and investment relations between Pakistan and the EU.

The premier also referred to his recent telephone conversations with European Council President Antonio Costa, in which both sides discussed regional security developments as well as opportunities to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and the EU.

Members of the EU delegation appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating the forum and acknowledged the prime minister’s active role in promoting peace and stability in the region.

They also shared their positive investment experiences in Pakistan and highlighted significant opportunities for expanding business-to-business collaboration in multiple sectors including energy, communications, and information technology. It was noted that more than 600 B2B meetings are expected to take place alongside the forum.

From the Pakistani side, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Law, Justice and Human Rights Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Tauqir Shah, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and Haroon Akhtar Khan, along with senior government officials, also attended the meeting.