Islamabad: Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Major General Khurram Sarfraz Khan (retd), and President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Sardar Tahir Mehmood have emphasized the need to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) linkages to enhance trade and investment between Pakistan and Jordan.
The emphasis was made during a meeting held at the ICCI, where both sides discussed ways to expand bilateral economic cooperation and encourage closer engagement between the private sectors of the two countries. The meeting focused on identifying practical avenues to translate improving diplomatic relations into tangible commercial outcomes.
Participants noted that Pakistan–Jordan relations are witnessing renewed momentum, supported by high-level exchanges and longstanding goodwill. They agreed that stronger interaction between business communities, including the exchange of business delegations and increased people-to-people contacts, would be key to unlocking new opportunities for trade and investment.
Major General Khurram Sarfraz Khan said the 10th session of the Pakistan–Jordan Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) is scheduled to take place in Islamabad on February 4–5, 2026. He described the upcoming session as an important platform for advancing cooperation across multiple sectors, particularly in trade and economic collaboration. He noted that bilateral trade stood at around $51.29 million in 2024, a figure that remains well below the actual potential of the two economies, and assured the ICCI of his full support in efforts to strengthen economic ties.
In his remarks, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said the current level of trade does not reflect the true capacity of Pakistan and Jordan. He stressed the importance of closer coordination between the chambers of commerce of both countries and said the ICCI would take all possible steps to organize B2B meetings, business delegations, and business opportunity conferences to promote joint ventures and mutually beneficial partnerships.
He identified pharmaceuticals, agriculture and agro-based products, food processing, textiles and garments, leather goods, information technology and IT-enabled services, construction materials, engineering goods, renewable energy, tourism and hospitality, education, and healthcare as sectors with strong potential for enhanced collaboration.
Senior ICCI office-bearers, including Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub and Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, highlighted the need for effective dissemination of information on Pakistan’s trade and investment opportunities, regulatory frameworks, and facilitation mechanisms to attract Jordanian businesses and investors.
Convener of the ICCI Sister Cities Initiative Committee Sajid Iqbal briefed the meeting on the committee’s work aimed at exploring new business avenues, strengthening institutional linkages, and promoting city-to-city cooperation with international partners.
Former ICCI President Mohammad Ejaz Abbasi and several executive members of the chamber were also present. The meeting concluded with an agreement to maintain close coordination to convert bilateral goodwill into concrete trade and investment results for both Pakistan and Jordan.
