Islamabad, August 20, 2026: High Commissioner of the Maldives to Pakistan Mohamed Thoha has called for stronger business-to-business relations between Pakistan and the Maldives, saying the two countries should translate their cordial diplomatic ties into tangible opportunities in trade, investment and tourism.
Addressing a business interaction at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), along with Second Secretary Ismail Mufeed, the High Commissioner said there was considerable potential for expanding commercial cooperation between the two countries and urged their business communities to develop serious and result-oriented partnerships.
Thoha emphasized the importance of establishing direct or charter air connectivity between Pakistan and the Maldives to facilitate tourism, business travel and commercial exchanges. He said Pakistan’s business community should view the Maldives as a major international tourism destination that attracts more than 2.4 million visitors annually.
He identified tourism, hospitality, fisheries, tuna and seafood, the blue economy, marine expertise, agriculture and Islamic tourism as promising areas for cooperation. He also invited Pakistani investors to explore opportunities in agricultural development in the Maldives, particularly initiatives aimed at improving food security and agricultural productivity.
In his welcome address, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said Pakistan and the Maldives enjoy friendly relations, mutual respect and significant untapped economic potential. He said Pakistan has export opportunities worth more than $600 million in the Maldivian market, while the negligible level of imports from the Maldives represented an opportunity to expand and diversify bilateral trade.
Mehmood identified food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles and garments, construction materials, engineering goods, IT and digital services, fisheries, healthcare and education, as well as tourism and hospitality, as promising areas for greater cooperation.
He also highlighted the potential of the blue economy, including fisheries, marine tourism, coastal development and maritime services, stressing that trade relations grow when businesses interact, develop trust and pursue concrete commercial ventures.
The ICCI president assured the High Commissioner that the chamber would work closely with the Maldives High Commission and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to convert bilateral goodwill into practical trade, investment and tourism opportunities.
Director General TDAP Abdul Salam Shah said Pakistan and the Maldives enjoy close and longstanding diplomatic relations and cooperate through international and regional platforms including the United Nations, SAARC and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
However, he noted that bilateral trade, currently estimated at around $9–10 million, remains significantly below its potential.
Shah invited Maldivian business delegations to participate in TDAP’s Food and Agriculture event scheduled for November 2026, the Textile Expo on April 2, 2027, and the Women Entrepreneur Network flagship event in 2027.
He said participation in these platforms would provide Maldivian companies with valuable opportunities for direct business-to-business engagement with Pakistani firms and help identify new avenues for bilateral trade and investment.
ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub, who moderated the interaction, expressed confidence that stronger engagement between the two countries’ business communities would significantly enhance bilateral commercial relations.
ICCI Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, Executive Members Waseem Chaudhry and Imran Minhas, former Executive Member Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, Ghazanfar Lashaari, Assistant Director TDAP and a large number of business leaders also attended the event.
