ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Textile Council (PTC) has pledged to continue engagement with European Union investors in the coming months, particularly to advance sustainable industrial transformation, GSP+ compliance, and investment facilitation across Pakistan’s textile and apparel value chain.
In a letter addressed to Raimundas Karoblis, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, PTC Chairman Fawad Anwar expressed appreciation for the successful organisation of the first-ever high-level EU–Pakistan Business Forum, held in Islamabad on April 28–29, 2026.
According to PTC, the forum marked a milestone in Pakistan-EU economic relations. The two-day event brought together around 1,000 senior policymakers, business leaders, investors, and financial institutions. It facilitated over 600 business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-finance (B2F) meetings through the Investment Matchmaking Hub and culminated in the launch of the EU–Pakistan Business Network, comprising more than 300 EU companies operating in Pakistan.
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The Council noted that the programme—ranging from the Global Gateway plenary on the first day to the closing ceremony and the launch of the “Better Governance and Business Environment” project on the second day—reflected a high standard of planning and execution.
From PTC’s perspective, the dedicated plenary session on sustainable textiles—titled “How can Pakistan stay competitive in the textile sector?”—was particularly significant. Pakistan’s textile and apparel industry accounts for nearly 60 percent of national merchandise exports, with the EU remaining its largest market.
The session brought together key stakeholders, including European importers, Swedish diplomatic representatives, IKEA’s country leadership, GIZ, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, providing a platform for meaningful and structured dialogue.
“We are encouraged by the momentum generated by the forum and are committed to translating it into concrete outcomes. We also place on record our appreciation for the EU Delegation team in Pakistan, whose behind-the-scenes efforts made this forum a success,” Anwar said.
He specifically acknowledged the contributions of Jeroen Willems (Head of Cooperation), Piotr Buszta (Head of Political, Trade and Communications), Helen de Mel (Executive Director, Global Business Network), Christian Ben Hell (Operations Sector Manager), Marta Úbeda Rodríguez (Advisor to EU Delegation), and Afsheen Shakoor (Private Sector and Investments Advisor).
Anwar added that their coordinated efforts in programme design, speaker management, and on-ground execution ensured the seamless delivery of an event of this scale. “Their dedication reflects the EU Delegation’s commitment to building a strong and enduring partnership with Pakistan,” he said.
He reiterated that the Pakistan Textile Council looks forward to working closely with the EU Delegation to further strengthen cooperation in sustainable industrial development, GSP+ compliance, and investment promotion across the textile value chain.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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