Pakistan, Syria plot fresh course, propose joint business council

According to Mettis Global, Pakistan and Syria reached an understanding to widen cooperation across politics, economics and trade following talks in Islamabad. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani exchanged views on regional matters, and both sides pledged to turn goodwill into concrete results. Those results could include a proposed joint business council and investment forum.

In a parallel meeting, Syria's foreign minister, who led the delegation's first visit to Pakistan, met Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan. Khan outlined Pakistan's export potential in sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, leather, rice and information technology, and urged more private-sector engagement. The Syrian minister described reconstruction priorities in housing, energy, ports and agriculture, and noted that existing commercial exchanges fall short of what the two economies could achieve.

The Syrian foreign minister proposed a Pakistan-Syria Joint Business Council to connect the two business communities directly, along with a joint investment forum in Damascus. Khan called for joint work by the two countries' trade bodies to set priority sectors and draft a workable plan, and for virtual matchmaking before in-person meetings. Khan also proposed bringing back the Pakistan-Syria Joint Ministerial Commission and its groups, plus regular exchanges between the chambers of commerce. A Syrian Ministry of Economy delegation is due to visit Pakistan to examine further cooperation opportunities.