KARACHI: President of the Pakistan Business Forum (Sindh Region), Malik Khuda Bakhsh, has called for the activation of the Pakistan–Philippines Joint Business Council to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries.
In a statement issued on Thursday, he welcomed the proposal by Pakistan and the Philippines to deepen economic cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding between their respective investment boards and the establishment of a joint working group on investment. He said such initiatives would pave the way for enhanced collaboration and increased investor confidence.
Malik Khuda Bakhsh emphasized the need to expand trade and investment cooperation with friendly business nations around the world, noting that there is significant untapped potential between Pakistan and the Philippines. He highlighted the importance of organizing trade exhibitions and dedicated business forums to promote direct engagement between the business communities of both countries, adding that the Pakistan Business Forum is ready to play its role in this regard.
He further stressed that activating the Pakistan–Philippines Joint Business Council would provide a structured platform for regular dialogue and practical collaboration, enabling businesses from both sides to contribute effectively to strengthening economic relations.
The PBF leader also urged early implementation of the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Pakistan and the Philippines to facilitate smoother trade flows. He underscored the importance of improving cooperation in the banking and taxation sectors and called on the Philippines to simplify the visa process for Pakistani tourists and businessmen to encourage greater people-to-people and commercial exchanges.
