Spanish businesses invited to Lahore, Sialkot

CM Maryam, Spain ambassador discuss plan to open footbal academy in Lahore

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has invited Spanish business delegations to visit Sialkot and Lahore.

She was discussing ways to expand cooperation between Punjab and Spain in trade, business, sports, culture and environmental protection with Spanish Ambassador Carlos Aragon Gil Delaserna on Saturday. The chief minister said Punjab would welcome trade and cultural delegations from Spain.

The leaders also discussed a proposal to establish a pilot football academy in Lahore with the cooperation of Spain's professional football league La Liga for training coaches and players.

The chief minister congratulated the diplomat on Spain's victory in the Football World Cup. The two sides reviewed business and trade opportunities and discussed a proposal to establish a Punjab-Spain Business Council to facilitate commercial ties.

They also considered forming a joint working group to address challenges posed by forest fires, pollution and heatwaves.

The possibility of declaring Lahore and Barcelona sister cities was also discussed, along with cooperation in culture and arts.

The chief minister welcomed Spain's decision to recognise Palestine.

She said Punjab wanted to benefit from Spain's experience in tackling climate change and smog.

The chief minister also expressed interest in learning from Barcelona's urban-planning experience in making roads and public spaces more people-friendly.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has been invited to Muscat to receive the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award 2026 for the Punjab Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar low-cost housing programme.

She will attend the award ceremony on the occasion of World Habitat Day, where the honour will be presented at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Around 200 such awards have been presented over the past 37 years. In Pakistan, the award was previously received by the deputy chairman of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority in 2007.

Myanmar, Brazil, Tunisia and London, England, have also been selected for the honour this year.