KARACHI
Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has apprised that the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) is set to host a high-profile business delegation of 60 members of different sectors from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 21, 2025, at its Head Office in Karachi.
President FPCCI continued that the ASEAN comprises an alliance of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. The meeting will be followed by a special B2B session; providing a platform for Pakistani businessmen to engage with their ASEAN counterparts and explore potential business opportunities.
Atif Ikram Sheikh added that the ASEAN delegation comprising prominent businessmen from various sectors – textiles, apparel, agriculture, fisheries, food, beverages, carpets, footwear, construction, insurance, information technology, oil, handicrafts, jewelry, cosmetics, perfumes, healthcare, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, coffee beans, green coffee, electronics, fruits and spices – aims to strengthen trade relations and explore business opportunities between Pakistan and ASEAN countries.
Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh explained that the relations between Pakistan and ASEAN are multidimensional and have grown significantly over the years due to mutual trust, cooperation, and cultural linkages. He has invited all stakeholders and business leaders to join the B2B session with the ASEAN delegation to be hosted by FPCCI.
In such extremely complex conditions, the time itself demands that parliaments increase their involvement and influence in maintaining peace, ensuring social development and justice in the world.
I would like to emphasize that the Inter-Parliamentary Union has become the most prestigious and largest multilateral institution in implementing parliamentary diplomacy and systemically addressing urgent issues based on the common interests of the peoples and states.
Its contribution to global stability and cohesion is reflected in the Union’s permanent observer status at the United Nations. The fact that more than 2,000 participants from almost 140 countries are taking part in today’s Forum clearly attests to this.
There is undoubtedly a profound symbolic meaning behind the fact that, at our initiative, the Assembly is being held under the slogan “Parliamentary Action for Social Development and Justice”.
According to analyses, over the past thirty years, the volume of world GDP has increased by 4.5 times. However, unfortunately, the incomes of poor layers of global population have not changed much.
If this trend persists, 575 million people in the world will live in poverty by 2030. Meanwhile, 84 million children will be deprived of the opportunity to attain education.
It is obvious that this situation causes great harm to the economy and society, weakens the functioning of socio-economic institutions, and ultimately limits people’s opportunities.
Certainly, identifying the root causes of such inequality and mitigating its consequences is a primary task for all of us.
I believe that the establishment and further expansion of multifaceted cooperation between the representative bodies of states in this direction will make a significant contribution to our common development.
