German envoy for stronger economic ties with Pakistan

FAISALABAD: The German Ambassador to Pakistan Ina Lepel has called for stronger economic engagement between Pakistan and Germany, highlighting opportunities to diversify trade, expand investment, and deepen business-to-business cooperation.

Speaking at the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) on Monday, she said businesses in both countries were increasingly seeking to diversify their global partnerships. While acknowledging improvements in Pakistan’s infrastructure and certain economic indicators, she said structural challenges continued to constrain trade and investment growth.

She said German industry was actively seeking to diversify supply chains and build new global partnerships, creating opportunities for countries such as Pakistan. She noted that progress in infrastructure and energy availability was encouraging, but challenges in other areas continued to affect investor confidence and export competitiveness.

German technical assistance programmes, she added, were increasingly focused on sustainability, the circular economy and labour compliance across various sectors in Pakistan.

“GIZ is working across different sectors of the economy to improve productivity and working conditions, and to enhance the quality and volume of Pakistan’s exportable surplus,” she said. She also noted that a dedicated Pakistan Desk had been established at the German Emirati Joint Council for Commerce and Industry to connect German companies with trade, investment and market opportunities in Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, PTEA Chairman Rehan Naseem Bharara congratulated the governments and people of Pakistan and Germany on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, describing the platinum jubilee as a testament to a friendship built on trust, mutual respect and enduring cooperation. He said Germany remained Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade exceeding USD 4.23 billion last year. While this reflected the strength of commercial ties, he said, considerable potential remained untapped. Diversifying trade, broadening cooperation across sectors and deepening business-to-business engagement could help build momentum towards a USD 10 billion trade partnership, he added.

Highlighting PTEA’s role in the country’s economic development, the Association’s former chairman Khurram Mukhtar said PTEA was helping members navigate evolving trade requirements. The Association was promoting traceability and circular economy practices and raising awareness of Green Button requirements to strengthen the sector’s sustainability, compliance, and competitiveness in international markets, he said.

The PTEA insignia was later presented to the visiting German ambassador. Large number of textile exporters attended the event.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026