Baku Business Delegation to Strengthen Pakistan–Azerbaijan Economic Partnership: Shumaila Siddiqui

ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): Executive Member of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Ms. Shumaila Siddiqui, has said that the upcoming high-level business delegation to Baku, Azerbaijan, will serve as an important milestone in strengthening economic cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan by creating new avenues for bilateral trade, investment, joint ventures, and private-sector collaboration.
She expressed these views during an important meeting with President of the Azerbaijan–Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (APJCCI), Ahsan Bakhtawari, held to review arrangements and finalize preparations for the forthcoming business delegation to Azerbaijan. Ms. Nazia Khan was also present on the occasion.
Shumaila Siddiqui said that Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy exemplary brotherly relations rooted in mutual trust, shared values, and unwavering support for each other at regional and international forums. She emphasized that the time has come to transform these excellent diplomatic relations into a robust and dynamic economic partnership through enhanced engagement between the business communities of both countries.
She noted that business delegations are among the most effective instruments of commercial diplomacy, enabling entrepreneurs to explore emerging markets, establish direct business contacts, attract foreign investment, facilitate technology transfer, and identify mutually beneficial opportunities for sustainable economic growth.
During the meeting, comprehensive discussions were held on promoting bilateral trade, strengthening business-to-business (B2B) linkages, encouraging joint ventures, and exploring investment opportunities in key sectors, including manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, information technology, infrastructure, construction, energy, healthcare, logistics, and services.
Shumaila Siddiqui said the Baku visit would provide Pakistani entrepreneurs with direct access to Azerbaijani businesses, investors, chambers of commerce, and government institutions. She expressed confidence that the delegation would help diversify bilateral trade, promote investment partnerships, expand export opportunities for Pakistani products, and lay the foundation for long-term commercial collaboration between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Bakhtawari, President APJCCI, appreciated the active role of Shumaila Siddiqui in promoting international business engagement and strengthening Pakistan’s commercial diplomacy. He reaffirmed APJCCI’s commitment to facilitating trade missions, investment conferences, business matchmaking sessions, and institutional partnerships aimed at enhancing economic ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
He said APJCCI would continue working closely with stakeholders in both countries to create a business-friendly environment, encourage cross-border investments, and facilitate meaningful collaboration between the private sectors of Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to make the upcoming Baku business delegation a landmark initiative for expanding bilateral economic cooperation. The participants expressed optimism that the visit would further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, enhance trade and investment, foster stronger institutional linkages, and open a new chapter of sustainable economic partnership for the mutual benefit of the business communities of both countries.