Islamabad: Pakistan and the United Kingdom have agreed to intensify bilateral trade engagement, strengthen business-to-business cooperation, and explore upgrading the existing Trade Dialogue into a more structured economic and trade framework.
According to Press Information Department, the understanding was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and British High Commissioner Ms. Jane Marriott at the Ministry of Commerce. Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul and senior officials from both sides attended the meeting.
Jam Kamal Khan stated that Pakistan was advancing tariff rationalization, digitalization, and regulatory reforms to improve competitiveness and facilitate businesses. He emphasized that predictable tariffs, better access to finance, and affordable industrial inputs would help small and medium enterprises, e-commerce ventures, and export-oriented enterprises expand into new markets. The Minister identified Africa and Central Asia as promising destinations for Pakistani exports and called for greater cooperation in standards, certification, traceability, environmental compliance, and value addition.
Ms. Jane Marriott acknowledged Pakistan’s economic reforms and indicated that the UK was considering transforming the Trade Dialogue into a stronger institutional mechanism, with clearly defined sectors, working groups, and implementation timelines. Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul noted that two Pakistan-UK working groups were already operational, with additional groups proposed to broaden cooperation.
He also called for a stronger role for the UK-Pakistan Business Council in facilitating businesses, promoting investment, and generating commercially viable projects. Paul mentioned that Pakistan was strengthening its intellectual property enforcement regime and informed the meeting that the appointment of a new Chairman of the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan was expected shortly.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination and work towards holding the next Pakistan-UK Trade Dialogue in Islamabad in autumn this year.