Pak-Sweden BIT talks in Nov

The Express Tribune reported that Pakistan and Sweden will hold the first round of talks on revising their Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) in Islamabad on November 17 and 18. The 1981 pact, now 45 years old, is being rewritten because Islamabad is concerned about exposure to international arbitration. Swedish Ambassador Alexandra Berg von Linde said her country is eager to restart the negotiations at the launch of the Sweden-Pakistan Business Guide for 2026 to 2028.

Islamabad has sent a notice to end the 1981 treaty as part of a wider effort to revisit all existing investment pacts. It has also named an investment ombudsman and approved a model agreement for all partner countries. Berg von Linde urged continued progress on Pakistan's commitments under the GSP+ duty-free scheme, echoing an earlier remark by the Netherlands ambassador. The government is also negotiating with Hungary, hoping for early deals with both countries.

Federal Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul said Pakistan has completed the fifth review of its GSP Plus status and is preparing a formal re-application. A recent EU monitoring report asked Pakistan to reverse negative developments from 2023 to 2025, citing enforced disappearances, minority rights and media freedom. The European Commission has approved new GSP rules for January 1, 2027 to the end of 2036, tying tariff relief more tightly to rights and governance and adding a self-triggering safeguard for rice shipments.