Islamabad, January 14, 2026: Ambassador of the Germany to Pakistan, Ina Lepel, accompanied by Ms. Janine Rohwer, Counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs and Climate Change, visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Tuesday and held an interactive session with Islamabad’s business community, reaffirming Germany’s strong commitment to further strengthening bilateral economic relations with Pakistan.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Lepel reiterated Germany’s readiness to enhance cooperation with Pakistan in key sectors including climate change, health and social protection, private sector development, and the upgradation of vocational and technical education institutions. She noted that strengthened collaboration in these areas would contribute significantly to sustainable economic growth and deeper economic ties between the two countries.
The Ambassador observed that vast untapped potential exists for Pakistan-Germany cooperation and expressed keen interest in exploring new avenues of collaboration in close coordination with Pakistan’s business community. Emphasizing the pivotal role of the private sector, she stated that businesses from both countries can play a central role in expanding trade and investment relations. She assured ICCI members of the German Embassy’s full support, particularly in strengthening business-to-business (B2B) linkages and identifying promising sectors for cooperation.
Ambassador Lepel also highlighted the importance of trade fairs and exhibitions as effective platforms for promoting trade, investment, and mutual understanding between nations. She appreciated ICCI’s proactive initiatives, especially its efforts to support women-led enterprises and promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Earlier, welcoming the Ambassador, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said that Pakistan-Germany relations are rooted in mutual respect and long-standing cooperation across diplomatic, economic, and cultural domains. He described Germany as one of the largest economies in the European Union and a key economic partner for Pakistan, particularly in sectors such as machinery, engineering, automotive, and chemicals. He added that Pakistan’s exports to Germany—including textiles, leather goods, sports goods, footwear, and medical instruments—reflect strong complementarities between the two economies.
The ICCI President noted that the Chamber represents a vibrant and diverse business community comprising SMEs, exporters, startups, and industrial stakeholders. He expressed confidence that enhanced engagement between German and Pakistani businesses could unlock new opportunities for trade expansion, technology transfer, and investment cooperation. Reaffirming ICCI’s commitment, he said the Chamber stands ready to act as a bridge between German investors and Pakistani enterprises.
Chairman ICCI Committee on Diplomatic Affairs Zafar Bakhtawari assured the Ambassador of ICCI’s full support in promoting bilateral trade and investment. He emphasized the need for direct flights between Pakistan and Germany to strengthen people-to-people and business-to-business linkages and proposed convening a grand session on Pakistan-Germany multilateral relations at the ICCI auditorium.
Former ICCI President Mian Akram Farid lauded Germany’s supportive role in Pakistan’s GSP+ status, noting its consistent advocacy within the European Union, development assistance linked to reforms, and strong bilateral engagement.
Senior Vice President ICCI Tahir Ayub and Vice President Irfan Chaudhry stressed the need for sustained institutional collaboration between chambers of commerce of both countries. They highlighted opportunities for joint ventures, technology sharing, and SME cooperation, noting that stronger engagement with German businesses would help Pakistani enterprises integrate into global value chains.
Chairman ICCI Foreign Delegation Committee Imran Minhas called for increased exchange of business delegations to further strengthen commercial relations, while ICCI Executive Member Fatima Azim shared her vision for empowering women entrepreneurs to play a greater role in bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
The session was attended by ICCI Council Member Chaudhry Waheed-ud-Din; Executive Members Malik Mohsin Khalid, Abdur Rehman Siddiqui, Chaudhry Nadeem Ahmed, Ishaq Sial, and Zulqurnain Abbasi; former Vice President Ashfaq Chattah; and a large number of representatives from the business community.
