Pakistan is open for business and the Commonwealth is interested

• A hub office would be set up in Karachi to promote trade and investment opportunities between the two parties.
• During the meeting Swire expressed the Commonwealth’s interest and emphasized the impact the CWEIC could have in promoting trade between Pakistan and the Commonwealth member nations.

Sir Hugo Swire was accompanied by Sir Anwar Pervez and the Chief Executive of Bestway Group and the Chairman of Conservative Friends of Pakistan (CFOP), Lord Zameer Choudrey. PM Imran was accompanied by his advisor on Commerce Mr. Abdul Razzaq Dawood and the Chairman Board of Investment Syed Zubair Haider Gilani.

During the meeting Swire expressed the Commonwealth’s interest and emphasized the impact the CWEIC could have in promoting trade between Pakistan and the Commonwealth member nations, in particular with the United Kingdom, post-Brexit.

An invitation to the 2020 Commonwealth Business Forum to be held in Rwanda, were also extended to PM Imran Khan by Swire.

Swire held a host of meetings with a number of leading businesses from the private sector as well as with PM’s advisor on Finance Mr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh to discuss the benefits of strengthening commonwealth-Pakistan links.

Swire concluded his visit by commenting on what a success it has been, “I am delighted to have had such a successful visit to Pakistan, who are an integral part of Commonwealth trade. We’ve held fruitful discussions with the Honourable Prime Minister, Minister of Trade and Minister of Finance as well as senior business leaders. Through Strategic Partnerships with the Government of Pakistan as well as private sector businesses we aim to support Pakistan’s efforts of expanding its trade with fellow Commonwealth countries. We also have plans of setting up a hub in Karachi which will further support local businesses in their efforts to connect with partners across the Commonwealth. We look forward to receiving a strong business delegation from Pakistan at the next Commonwealth Business Forum.”

Choudrey thanked the Government of Pakistan in expressing its commitment to future engagement with the Commonwealth and for reiterating interest in joining the CWEIC as a member as well as playing a leading role as a private sector delegation at the upcoming business forum in Rwanda.