Leveraging Free Trade Agreements and streamlining trade processes to facilitate trade promotion were among key strategies suggested to enhance bilateral trade and investment, at the Pakistan Business Forum hosted by the Sri Lanka - Pakistan Business Council (SLPBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on July 19, 2023, at the Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

The Business Forum follows a recent business promotion mission to Karachi conducted by the SLPBC, where the Council's leadership emphasised the significance of fostering exchanges and strengthening economic ties between the two countries, and proposed that a business mission from Pakistan visit Sri Lanka.

Organised in collaboration with the Consul General of Sri Lanka in Karachi, and facilitated by the Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum (PSLBF), which is the counterpart organisation in Pakistan of the SLPBC, the event was attended by Mr. Aslam Pakhali, President of the PSLBF, Mr. Jagath Abeywarna, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Karachi, Ms. Asmma Kamal, Trade & Investment Attaché, High Commission of Pakistan in Colombo, and Mrs. Anoma Premathilaka, Head of Market Development, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, along with other notable guests.

President of the SLPBC Mr. S. Deivanayagam highlighted the trade statistics between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and emphasized the potential for further growth, facilitated by events such as the Business Forum.

The delegation from Pakistan expressed keen interest in developing trade and investment between the two countries and suggested key strategies to facilitate this. These include leveraging Free Trade Agreements between the two countries, as well as enhancing bureaucratic processes and streamlining trade processes to facilitate trade. The delegation also expressed interest in fostering partnerships for export in sectors such as footwear and leather, automobile components, rubber products, electrical and electronics, and services exports like ICT.