European Companies Signal Strong Interest in Expanding Pakistan Operations

Multiple European companies have expressed a strong desire to expand their commercial footprint in Pakistan, according to reports emerging from the EU-Pakistan Business Forum launched in Islamabad on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assuring efforts to facilitate deeper trade and investment ties with the European Union.

The forum, inaugurated in the capital, brought together European and Pakistani business representatives to explore bilateral commercial opportunities across sectors including manufacturing, technology, and energy. The event marks a formal institutional step toward structured engagement between the EU's business community and Pakistan's investment ecosystem.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed participants at the forum, pledging government support for removing bottlenecks that have historically deterred European investment in Pakistan. Improving ease of doing business, regulatory transparency, and investment protection were among the themes underscored by both sides.

The development comes as Pakistan actively courts foreign direct investment to stabilise its economy and broaden its export base. The EU is one of Pakistan's largest trading partners, with the bilateral relationship underpinned by the Generalised System of Preferences Plus trade status that provides Pakistani exports preferential access to European markets.