Denmark says will help Pakistan switch over to environment-friendly technologies

FAISALABAD: The Danish Government will help Pakistan to switch over to environment friendly technologies in addition to giving a quantum jump to bilateral trade, said Maja Mortensen, Ambassador of Denmark in Pakistan.

Addressing the business community in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), she said that Danida Sustainable Infrastructure Finance (DSIF) has already doled out €183 million interest free loan to build a state-of-the-art waste water treatment plant in Faisalabad. She said that Pakistan and Denmark are enjoying cordial diplomatic relations and scores of Danish companies are already operating in Pakistan while more would also be encouraged to start their businesses in Pakistan and particularly in Faisalabad.

Responding to a question, the Ambassador said that the Embassy of Denmark is working diligently to strengthen and expand bilateral relations. She further shared that she will visit Karachi next week to establish direct contacts with the business community and promote bilateral trade.

Earlier, President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh welcomed the Ambassador and briefed her about Faisalabad and FCCI. He informed her that FCCI has 12,000 members and stands among the top three chambers in Pakistan. Highlighting Faisalabad’s contribution towards national exports, he said that textiles lead Pakistan’s exports, with 60 percent share exclusively from Faisalabad. Sharing trade statistics, he noted that the bilateral trade volume reached USD286 million last year. Pakistan’s major exports to Denmark include textiles, garments, sports goods, and leather products etc, while imports from Denmark consist mainly of machinery, equipment, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

Farooq Yousaf Sheikh appreciated Denmark’s global leadership in clean and renewable energy technologies and said that Danish investment could significantly support Pakistan in adopting sustainable and environment-friendly technologies. He emphasized the need to strengthen business-to-business linkages through trade delegations and joint exchange programmes.

The FCCI President highlighted that although Pakistan contributes minimally to global climate degradation but it remains among the countries most severely affected by its impacts. Referring to recent natural calamities, he said that torrential rains followed by devastating floods caused serious damage to Pakistan’s economy. “The Government of Pakistan is striving to rehabilitate the affected communities,” he said and added that the international community and especially Denmark should play a more active and supportive role to mitigate the sufferings of the affectees.

Prior to the interactive session, a documentary film on Faisalabad was screened. Engineer Bilal Jamil, Waheed Khaliq Ramay, and Muhammad Ali participated in the question-answer session. Senior Vice President Naveed Akram Sheikh offered a vote of thanks, while President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh presented decorated Ambassador Maja Mortensen with a special collar pin to mark the 50 years of excellent services to the business community of Faisalabad. He also presented a commemorative shield to her Excellency.

The event was also attended by Vice President Engr Asim Munir in addition to Aslam Pervaiz and Babar from the Denmark Embassy. Later Ambassador Madam Maja Mortensen also recorded her remarks in the FCCI visitor’s Book.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025