Pakistan urges greater private-sector role to boost D-8 economic integration

KARACHI: Pakistan called for stronger economic integration among member states of the Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), as government officials, diplomats and business leaders underscored the need for greater private-sector collaboration to boost intra-regional trade and investment.

The call came during an interactive session of the D-8 National Committee of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on the D-8 Chamber of Commerce and Industry (D-8 CCI), held at the FPCCI Head Office on Thursday.

Addressing the session, Director General, Liaison Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Irfan Soomro, said Pakistan’s objective was not merely to increase exports to D-8 member states but to become a reliable and prosperous economic partner within the bloc. He said Pakistan should capitalize on the diplomatic, political and strategic momentum it has gained by translating it into tangible economic benefits for its people through stronger regional trade and investment.

Soomro said Pakistan’s competitive strengths in textiles, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, information technology, engineering goods and sports goods, coupled with its strategic location, youthful population and improving investment climate, position the country as an attractive destination for regional partnerships.

He said economic diplomacy has become a key pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy, with diplomatic missions increasingly tasked with opening new markets, facilitating trade partnerships and attracting investment. Urging businesses to work closely with Pakistani embassies and trade missions across D-8 countries, he stressed that governments alone could not deliver economic integration and that the private sector must take the lead in developing supply chains, promoting joint ventures and encouraging cross-border investment.

Soomro said the success of the D-8 should be measured not by the number of declarations or memorandums of understanding signed but by increased business linkages, investment flows and job creation. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening commercial ties, expanding market access and promoting business-to-business cooperation with all D-8 member states.

Earlier, FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh welcomed the decisions of the Fourth D-8 Trade Ministers’ Council held in Cairo and termed the establishment of the permanent D-8 Chambers Secretariat under the auspices of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) in Istanbul an important milestone for strengthening institutional cooperation among member countries.

In a message to the gathering, D-8 Secretary General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood urged member states to capitalize on opportunities in the growing halal market and enhance financial integration to unlock the bloc’s economic potential.

Speaking on the occasion, FPCCI Senior Vice President Saqib Fayyaz Magoon said the participation of consuls general and senior diplomats from Indonesia, Türkiye, Iran, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan and Bangladesh reflected the growing importance of D-8 economic cooperation. He stressed the need to enhance intra-D-8 trade and said implementation of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) among member countries was essential to realizing the bloc’s economic potential.

Representatives of D-8 diplomatic missions also addressed the session, including Syed Helal Enver of the Embassy of Azerbaijan; Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner H.E. Muhammad Sakib Sadakat; Malaysia’s Consul General H.E. Herman Hardynata Ahmad; Indonesia’s Consul for Economic Affairs Dr. Ahmed Syofian; Türkiye’s Commercial Attaché Murat Ozmen; and Iran’s Commercial Attaché Murad Namati. They highlighted opportunities to enhance trade, investment and economic cooperation among D-8 member states.

The meeting was attended by FPCCI Vice Presidents Aman Paracha and Asif Sakhi, former FPCCI President Zubair Tufail, former vice presidents Khalid Tawab and Hanif Gohar, Shabbir Mansha, Naheed Masood, Nazli Abid, Maheen Khan, and other prominent members of the business community.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026