UK looks to introduce buyers to Pakistani market

Regional trade and development advisor at the British High Commission Islamabad, Fabin Hartwell expressed optimism regarding the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), highlighting ongoing efforts to bolster trade between the UK and Pakistan. During a visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Hartwell underscored the importance of introducing UK buyers to the Pakistani market to foster mutual trade.

Leading a 40-member UK delegation for business-to-business meetings, Hartwell noted that bilateral trade had stagnated for several years due to various factors. He underscored his role in trade development, aiming to enhance Pakistan’s exports to the UK and other nations, highlighting trade as a vital tool for poverty alleviation, job creation, and improving national image.

Hartwell articulated the delegation’s objective of identifying cost-effective, high-quality products in Pakistan for export to the UK, expressing confidence in boosting bilateral trade and positively altering perceptions of Pakistan.

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Providing handbooks on business setup and UK trade, Hartwell urged their dissemination on the LCCI website. LCCI President Kashif Anwar stressed the organisation’s commitment to fostering strong ties with the UK private sector, highlighting the necessity of business-to-business connections for bilateral relations. Anwar noted the UK’s significance as Pakistan’s third-largest export market, advocating for expanding the current $2.6 billion bilateral trade volume to $10 billion. He underscored the potential of sectors like textiles, handicrafts, agri-food, and home décor, pointing out Pakistan’s agricultural produce freshness and cultural heritage in home décor. Highlighting the post-Brexit market access parity with the European Union’s GSP plus scheme, Anwar urged proactive collaboration between Pakistani and UK private sectors to capitalise on this arrangement. He also cited the growing IT freelancer markets in both countries as a potential area for collaboration.

Anwar expressed eagerness to collaborate with chambers of commerce in Greater Birmingham and Bradford to realise shared objectives. He hoped their UK counterparts would inform British investors about Pakistan’s investment opportunities under SIFC.