Syria proposes joint business council with Pakistan

Dawn reported that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani proposed setting up a Pakistan-Syria Joint Business Council on Thursday, aimed at letting the two countries' business communities deal with each other directly. He made the suggestion in talks with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, who was exploring ways to deepen economic ties and lift bilateral trade and investment. The Syrian minister, who is heading a high-level business delegation, also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar separately.

An official announcement added that the Syrian minister proposed a joint investment forum in Damascus, drawing public and private sector representatives from both countries. He pointed to property, power, transport, ports, farming, manufacturing and skills development as promising fields, saying current bilateral trade does not reflect the countries' real potential. A delegation from Syria's economy ministry will also travel to Pakistan to look for cooperation opportunities.

Mr Kamal suggested close ties between the two trade bodies to pick key sectors and draft a workable roadmap, along with virtual meetings between businesses before in-person events. He also called for reviving the Pakistan-Syria Joint Ministerial Commission and its working groups, and for using the chambers of commerce framework more actively. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, said direct flights would ease travel for Pakistani pilgrims visiting Syria and backed Syria's stance on the Golan Heights.