Time to Put Business at the Centre of Pakistan’s Foreign Economic Policy: Sardar Tahir Mehmood

ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Sardar Tahir Mehmood, has said that Pakistan must transform commercial diplomacy into a powerful engine of export growth by aligning its diplomatic missions abroad with the country’s economic and business priorities. While talking to visiting business delegations here on Saturday, he said Pakistan’s embassies and commercial counsellors should play a proactive role in connecting Pakistani exporters with genuine buyers, investors, distributors and business partners in international markets.
He said Pakistan had a strong product base and immense export potential, but inadequate market penetration, branding and international business networking continued to restrict the country’s share in global trade. “Our diplomats should not only represent Pakistan diplomatically; they must also become effective facilitators of Pakistani business, exports and investment,” he said, adding that every major market should have a clear commercial strategy based on its demand, import potential and investment opportunities.
Sardar Tahir Mehmood proposed closer institutional coordination between Pakistan’s diplomatic missions, TDAP, chambers of commerce and the private sector to identify new markets and develop sector-specific export campaigns. He said commercial counsellors should maintain updated databases of potential buyers and distributors and regularly share verified business leads with Pakistani exporters, enabling them to pursue concrete commercial opportunities.
The ICCI President said Pakistan should particularly strengthen its commercial presence in Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and emerging markets, where considerable opportunities exist for Pakistani textiles, food products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, IT services, construction materials and other value-added products. He also called for greater use of digital platforms and virtual B2B meetings to maintain continuous engagement with overseas buyers.
Sardar Tahir Mehmood said the private sector was ready to work closely with the government to make commercial diplomacy more result-oriented. “Pakistan needs diplomats who can open doors for Pakistani businesses, identify opportunities before our competitors do, and convert diplomatic relationships into trade and investment. Every embassy should have an export agenda, and every commercial effort should ultimately be measured by the business it creates for Pakistan,” he concluded.