Islamabad, 28 April 2026(Kamran Raja): A high-level delegation of senior officials from the European Union and representatives of leading European companies called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House today. The delegation was led by Mr. Peteris Ustubs, Director (Asia Pacific) at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships. It included Ms. Thourya Triki of the European Investment Bank, along with senior executives from prominent European firms, including Adidas, Andritz, and IKEA. The Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, H.E. Raimundas Karoblis, also attended the meeting. The delegation is currently visiting Pakistan to participate in the EU-Pakistan Business Forum, aimed at enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Welcoming the delegation, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for their participation in the forum and highlighted that the EU remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner and a key destination for its exports. He emphasized that the EU-Pakistan Business Forum would serve as an important platform to further strengthen economic ties.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating trade and investment, noting ongoing efforts to stabilize the national economy despite regional challenges, including rising global oil prices linked to the evolving situation in the Middle East. He also referred to his recent telephone conversations with European Council President H.E. Antonio Costa, during which both sides discussed regional security developments and avenues for deepening Pakistan-EU relations. The EU delegation appreciated the Prime Minister’s leadership in promoting regional peace and commended the Government of Pakistan for its support in organizing the EU-Pakistan Business Forum. Delegation members highlighted the strong potential for expanding business-to-business (B2B) cooperation across key sectors, including energy, communications, and information technology. Over 600 B2B meetings are expected to take place on the sidelines of the forum.
Senior Pakistani officials present at the meeting included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar, Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Tauqir Shah, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and Haroon Akhtar Khan, along with other senior government officials.