Istanbul, August 14, 2026: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) hosted its International Excellence Awards 2026 in Istanbul, bringing together senior Turkish officials, diplomats and leading Pakistani and Turkish business figures to celebrate entrepreneurial excellence and promote stronger economic and commercial ties between the two brotherly countries.
Around 40 prestigious awards were presented to prominent Pakistani business leaders from diverse sectors in recognition of their contributions to Pakistan’s economy and private sector.
The ceremony was attended by senior Turkish government officials, representatives of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Pakistani diplomats and a large number of business leaders from both countries. The awards were presented by Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mehmet Sulun, Consul General of Pakistan in Istanbul Khawaja Khurram Naeem, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, Executive Board Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Munir Ustun and ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub.
Speaking as the chief guest, Deputy Governor Mehmet Sulun congratulated the award recipients and praised ICCI for bringing Pakistan’s business community to Türkiye. He said initiatives of this nature provided an effective platform for strengthening people-to-people and business-to-business contacts while opening new avenues for trade, investment and joint ventures.
Sulun said the Pakistani business leaders honoured at the ceremony were not merely engaged in commercial activities but were also building bridges of friendship, understanding and cooperation between the two countries.
He expressed appreciation to ICCI, Ambassador of Türkiye to Pakistan Dr Irfan Neziroğlu, the Consulate General of Pakistan in Istanbul and other institutions involved in organising the event, expressing hope that Pakistan-Türkiye friendship and cooperation would continue to deepen for generations.
Consul General Khawaja Khurram Naeem said stronger business-to-business linkages were essential to translating the longstanding political and fraternal relations between Pakistan and Türkiye into increased trade and investment.
He assured the Pakistani business community of the continued support of Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in facilitating commercial engagement and strengthening economic cooperation with Türkiye.
In his inaugural address, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood highlighted the deep-rooted relations between Pakistan and Türkiye and reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to expanding bilateral trade and investment in line with the ambitions of the leadership of both countries.
He said ICCI was positioning itself as a global business bridge for Pakistan by promoting exports, investment and international partnerships, while working with the government and relevant institutions to improve the business environment and create greater opportunities for the private sector.
Munir Ustun, Executive Board Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, appreciated ICCI’s efforts to strengthen economic and business relations between the two countries and called for closer institutional and private-sector cooperation.
He said regular business exchanges, B2B engagements and joint initiatives could help unlock significant untapped potential in bilateral trade and investment.
Zohair Majeed, Director of Faisal Town Group, said the recognition of Pakistani entrepreneurs on an international platform demonstrated the talent, resilience and entrepreneurial capacity of Pakistan’s private sector.
He said stronger business partnerships between Pakistan and Türkiye could create new opportunities for investment, technology transfer, exports and sustainable economic growth.
The event was widely described as a significant initiative to showcase Pakistan’s business potential internationally and provide a platform for Pakistani and Turkish entrepreneurs to establish new commercial partnerships.
The awards ceremony also underscored the growing role of private-sector engagement in strengthening the economic foundations of Pakistan-Türkiye relations, with participants calling for more frequent business exchanges, investment forums and joint ventures to translate the two countries’ longstanding friendship into greater economic cooperation.
