August 21, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and Syria have
agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across political, economic
and trade domains, with both sides committing to translate longstanding
goodwill into concrete outcomes including a proposed joint business council and
investment forum.
The understanding was reached during wide-ranging
delegation-level talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq
Dar and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani in Islamabad, where
the two sides reaffirmed the brotherly ties between the two countries.
They also exchanged views on regional and international
developments, including Palestine, the Golan Heights, Afghanistan, the
situation in South Asia and the wider Middle East, said a press release issued.
Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Syria’s
sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, while the Syrian foreign minister
welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and commended
Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace, including its efforts toward
de-escalation in the US-Iran context.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued
engagement for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.
In a parallel engagement, the Syrian foreign minister,
accompanied by a high-level delegation, called on Federal Minister for Commerce
Jam Kamal Khan, in what marked the delegation’s first visit to Pakistan.
The commerce minister conveyed solidarity with the
people of Syria and condolences over the losses endured during the prolonged
conflict, along with best wishes for the country’s reconstruction and long-term
prosperity.
Jam Kamal Khan briefed the visiting delegation on
Pakistan’s export potential across textiles and apparel, pharmaceuticals,
leather, sports goods, food processing, rice and other agricultural products,
light engineering, information technology, cosmetics and value-added products.
He noted that the complementary strengths of the two
economies offered considerable scope for mutually beneficial cooperation, and
called for greater private-sector interaction to explore trade, investment and
joint-venture opportunities.
Hassan Al-Shaibani, in turn, briefed the commerce
minister on Syria’s reconstruction and development priorities, highlighting the
resilience of the Syrian people and progress in restoring essential
infrastructure and public services.
He identified housing, real estate, energy,
transportation, seaports, agriculture, industry and human-recurrent bilateral trade volumes
did not reflect the true potential of the two countries
The Syrian foreign minister proposed establishing a
Pakistan-Syria Joint Business Council to facilitate direct interaction between
the business communities of both countries, along with a joint investment forum
in Damascus bringing together private and public sector representatives.
He added that a delegation from Syria’s Ministry of
Economy would visit Pakistan to further explore cooperation opportunities.
Jam Kamal Khan proposed close coordination between the
trade authorities of the two countries to identify priority sectors and prepare
a practical roadmap, besides suggesting virtual business matchmaking sessions
ahead of in-person engagements.
He also called
for reviving the Pakistan-Syria Joint Ministerial Commission and its working
groups, and for activating the existing framework between the two countries’
chambers of commerce through regular exchanges and business delegations.
The commerce minister expressed Pakistan’s willingness
to explore sending a trade and business delegation to Syria and conveyed
interest in strengthening its trade representation in the country going
forward.
Referring to historical and cultural links, particularly
with Balochistan, Khan noted that historical accounts point to ancestral ties
between the Baloch people and Syria, which he said further enriched the
longstanding relationship between the two nations.
Both ministers reaffirmed their resolve to deepen
bilateral relations and agreed to maintain close coordination for translating
existing goodwill into concrete progress on trade, investment and economic
cooperation.
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