ECO Chamber asked to develop action plan

FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh has urged the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) region to turn its large economic potential into concrete commercial gains. Speaking at a meeting of the ECO Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECO-CCI), attended by chambers from all member countries, he said the bloc's strategic location and resources had not yet lifted intra-regional trade to its real level. According to The Express Tribune, he pointed to greater connectivity, easier procedures and closer private-sector cooperation as the way forward.

Sheikh wants the region to move past talk and adopt hands-on measures, such as removing trade bottlenecks, simplifying customs processes and reviving regional road and rail links, including the ECO train. He also proposed that the ECO-CCI prepare an Action Agenda for 2026-27 with defined initiatives and a way to track progress. He further urged joint production and regional value chains in agriculture, textiles, energy, pharmaceuticals and IT.

ECO Secretary General Asad Majeed Khan told the meeting that tariff and non-tariff barriers, customs and logistics problems, limited B2B contact and payment difficulties continue to hold back trade. He briefed participants on recent ECO steps covering trade facilitation, ECOTA, customs cooperation, transport and business mobility. He stressed that the ECO-CCI and national chambers play a critical role in building business links.