Islamabad, April 21, 2026: President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chandi Raj Dhakal visited the President Secretariat of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Tuesday, where he met FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh to discuss strengthening regional economic cooperation.
During the meeting, Dhakal congratulated Sheikh on his election as Vice President of the SAARC Chamber and extended his best wishes. The two leaders held detailed discussions on organizational matters, promotion of regional trade, and measures to enhance business activities across the SAARC region.
Both sides agreed on the need to make the SAARC business platform more active and effective to boost economic cooperation among member states. They also reviewed various proposals aimed at improving air and land connectivity within the region to facilitate trade and transportation.
Several senior business figures attended the meeting, including former FPCCI president Zubair Ahmed Malik, FPCCI Vice President Tariq Jadoon, Chairman Capital Office Karim Aziz Malik, and Chairman Coordination Malik Sohail, along with newly elected members of the SAARC-CCI General Assembly.
Speaking on the occasion, Atif Ikram Sheikh emphasized that member countries must set aside differences and focus on mutual cooperation to unlock the region’s economic potential. He said that Pakistan and other SAARC nations should work collectively to ensure that the benefits of development reach the common people.
Chandi Raj Dhakal highlighted Pakistan’s important role within SAARC, noting its contributions to the establishment and stability of the organization. He stressed the need for closer coordination between governments and the business community to translate opportunities into tangible outcomes.
He also underscored the importance of establishing a “SAARC House” in Pakistan, describing it as a shared responsibility of member states that would strengthen institutional linkages and regional cooperation. Additionally, he noted that several confidence-building measures among SAARC countries were under consideration and would be jointly pursued for implementation.
