Switzerland and Pakistan enjoy cordial trade and economic relations. For many years, by virtue of Swiss companies, Switzerland has been one of the largest foreign direct investors in Pakistan.
Currently, 27 Swiss based multinational companies are operating in the country in the sectors of agriculture, food, beverages, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, textile, chemicals, energy/electricity generation and banking. 15 companies have their headquarters in Karachi while 7 companies are based in Lahore, 3 companies are headquartered in Islamabad while 1 company each has its main office in Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. 12 companies also have their manufacturing facilities in Pakistan; the number of these manufacturing units currently stands at 19.
These companies provide direct employment to about 15,000 persons and a multiple number of third-party contract workers in Pakistan. The Embassy provides support to the Swiss firms in various ways, whenever required.
Annual bilateral trade between Switzerland and Pakistan amounts to half a billion Swiss francs approximately.
14th International Women Leaders’ Summit
New World Concepts, a corporate marketing and management purposes using guar as the main raw material. consultancy firm based in Karachi, organized the 14th International Women Leaders’ Summit 2025 to discuss the importance of the role being played by the women in the corporate sector. Ambassador Georg Steiner participated in the summit as a panellist and highlighted the importance of women inclusion.
Strengthening partnership
The Swiss Business Council (SBC) had the honor of welcoming its Patron-in-Chief, H.E. Mr. Georg Steiner, Ambassador of Switzerland to Pakistan, for a meeting with the Executive Committee at the Council’s Head Office in Karachi.
During the meeting, a constructive and forward-looking discussion took place, focusing on ways to further enhance bilateral trade relations and explore new avenues of economic collaboration between Switzerland and Pakistan. The conversation also emphasized the importance of fostering greater engagement among existing SBC members and strengthening the spirit of partnership within the Council’s business community.
Visit of Polygal Pakistan
Polygal AG is a Swiss company associated globally with processing natural hydrocolloids for industrial usages. In Pakistan, their local subsidiary Polygal Pakistan is producing adhesive gums for industrial purposes using guar as the main raw material. A delegation of the Embassy, led by Ambassador Georg Steiner, visited the manufacturing facility of Polygal Pakistan in Karachi on 31 January 2025 to witness its production process.
Technical Demonstration Event of Katadyn Group
Katadyn Group is Switzerland's leading manufacturer of water treatment solutions for humanitarian applications. A ‘technical demonstration event’ of their products, “Aquifer 4000” and the “Rapidyn Water Filter”, to be introduced in Pakistan, was organized at the Swiss Ambassador’s residence in February 2025.
Mr. Johann Wille, General Manager Asia, and Mr. Yong Zheng, Head of Operations of the Katadyn Group, joined from the regional office of the Katadyn Group in Singapore to perform a live demonstration of their products. “Aquifer 4000” is the world’s only mobile desalination system capable of producing up to 20,000 litres of fresh water daily and has been deployed in various crisis situations, including Gaza.
The “Rapidyn Water Filter”, featuring a Swiss-made ceramic candle with unmatched flow rate and lifespan, ensures sustainability for every Household Water Treatment System (HWTS) project. It has also been selected by UNICEF’s supply division as their household filtration solution of choice.
Hitachi Energy Days in Pakistan
Hitachi Energy is a power technology company headquartered in Switzerland. Their local subsidiary in Pakistan organized the ‘Hitachi Energy Days” in Lahore on February 11, 2025. The event focused on advancing a sustainable energy future for Pakistan and aimed at showcasing their highly innovative and quality products and solutions to potential customers. A delegation of the Embassy, led by Ambassador Georg Steiner, attended and contributed to the event.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.