LAHORE: Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol has said that Pakistan and the United States enjoy a strong and long-standing economic relationship based on trade, investment and people-to-people connections, and there is tremendous potential to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation through enhanced business partnerships, greater investment and improved market access.
He was speaking during the visit of a high-powered United States business delegation to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The delegation visited LCCI as part of its Pakistan tour facilitated by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
Among those present on the occasion were LCCI Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, Chairman Rice Land Group, Tahir Javed, Director SIFC USA, Lt. Col. Jehanzeb President Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Naveed Anwar, Hafeez Khan, Former LCCI President Tahir Javed Malik and executive committee members.
The LCCI President termed the visit as a significant step towards strengthening economic relations between the two countries. He appreciated the SIFC for arranging and coordinating the visit, saying that SIFC has played a valuable role in showcasing Pakistan’s investment potential to the international community.
He observed that the delegation’s visit to Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore had enabled its members to engage with Pakistan’s political leadership and business community, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the country’s economic strengths and investment prospects. Faheem said the United States remains Pakistan’s largest export destination, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the country’s total exports. Citing State Bank of Pakistan figures, he said, bilateral trade had increased from approximately US$8.4 billion in 2024-25 to US$9.4 billion in 2025-26, while Pakistan’s exports to the United States had reached nearly US$6.1 billion. He said stronger business partnerships and greater market access could significantly increase trade volumes in the coming years.
Director SIFC USA Lt. Col. Jehanzeb said the visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. He informed participants that the delegation was assessing Pakistan’s investment landscape, ease of doing business and opportunities available in different sectors. He stated the feedback gathered during the visit would help pave the way for future engagements with the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank), whose delegations are expected to visit Pakistan later this year to explore financing opportunities in collaboration with the private sector.
He observed that the delegation represented a broad spectrum of sectors, including textiles, information technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, real estate, critical minerals and mining, energy, defence technologies, business solutions, insurance and agriculture. He said the expertise and experience of the delegates created excellent opportunities for joint ventures, technology transfer, investment partnerships and knowledge sharing.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Rice Land Group Tahir Javed said the delegation had held extensive meetings with Pakistan’s top leadership, including the Prime Minister, SIFC officials, ministers and provincial leadership, and had witnessed strong enthusiasm for investment and economic cooperation throughout the country. He said the delegation was leaving Pakistan with renewed confidence because, for the first time, investors had been presented with a substantial portfolio of ready-to-invest projects.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026