Islamabad, August 22, 2026: President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Sardar Tahir Mehmood has called for a major shift in Pakistan’s foreign economic policy, urging the government to place trade, exports and investment at the centre of the country’s diplomatic engagement.
Speaking to visiting business delegations in Islamabad on Saturday, Mehmood said Pakistan must transform commercial diplomacy into a powerful engine of export growth by aligning diplomatic missions abroad with national economic and business priorities.
He said Pakistani embassies and commercial counsellors should adopt a more proactive role in connecting exporters with genuine international buyers, investors, distributors and business partners.
“Pakistan has a strong product base and immense export potential, but inadequate market penetration, branding and international business networking continue to restrict the country’s share in global trade,” he said.
“Our diplomats should not only represent Pakistan diplomatically; they must also become effective facilitators of Pakistani business, exports and investment,” Mehmood added, stressing that every major overseas market should have a clearly defined commercial strategy based on demand, import potential and investment opportunities.
The ICCI president proposed stronger institutional coordination among Pakistan’s diplomatic missions, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), chambers of commerce and the private sector to identify new markets and develop sector-specific export campaigns.
He said commercial counsellors should maintain updated databases of potential buyers and distributors and regularly share verified business leads with Pakistani exporters. Such an approach, he added, would enable local businesses to pursue concrete commercial opportunities rather than relying solely on traditional diplomatic engagement.
Mehmood called for Pakistan to strengthen its commercial presence in Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and other emerging markets, where he said significant opportunities existed for Pakistani textiles, food products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, IT services, construction materials and other value-added products.
He also stressed the need to make greater use of digital platforms, virtual business-to-business meetings and other technology-driven tools to maintain continuous engagement with overseas buyers and investors.
The ICCI president said the private sector was ready to work closely with the government to make Pakistan’s commercial diplomacy more practical and results-oriented.
“Pakistan needs diplomats who can open doors for Pakistani businesses, identify opportunities before our competitors do, and convert diplomatic relationships into trade and investment,” he said.
“Every embassy should have an export agenda, and every commercial effort should ultimately be measured by the business it creates for Pakistan,” Mehmood concluded
