LAHORE: A high-level delegation of the Pakistan American Chicago land Chamber of Commerce visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and met with LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol.
The delegation was led by President of the Pakistan American Chicago land Chamber of Commerce, Naveed Anwar. LCCI Vice President Khurram Lodhi was also present at the meeting.
Members of the LCCI Executive Committee, including Firdous Nisar, Karamat Ali Awan and Sheikh Fayyaz, as well as former executive members Muhammad Nawaz and Sheikh Sajjad Afzal, also attended the meeting. Other members of the delegation included Dr. Sameer Shafii and Rana Khurram Ali.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol said that the United States is Pakistan’s largest export destination, with exports reaching around $6 billion last year. He said that by effectively using the US tariff structure, Pakistan can increase its exports to $10 billion.
The LCCI President said that Pakistan has mostly focused on traditional exports, especially garments, but now needs to explore new products and sectors to boost exports. He stressed the importance of moving beyond the five traditional sectors and focusing on IT, minerals, agriculture and other emerging sectors, which are also being prioritized by the government and SIFC.
He highlighted the important role of the Pakistani community in the United States and said Pakistan should fully benefit from their business networks and expertise. He also emphasized the need to strengthen coordination with all joint chambers. He added that exporting skilled human resources has great potential, which can increase both exports and remittances. He informed that remittances have increased significantly this year and are expected to reach $42 billion by the end of the year.
He said that a comprehensive strategy is needed to send skilled labour to other countries to further increase remittances.
On this occasion, President of the Pakistan American Chicago land Chamber of Commerce, Naveed Anwar, said that Pakistani businessmen living in the US are deeply committed to Pakistan and want to contribute to economic stability. He shared that discussions with US Senate representatives highlighted the strong potential of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry and that Pakistan can increase pharma exports to the US.
However, he regretted that currently no Pakistani pharmaceutical company is FDA-compliant, which has held the sector back. He said regulatory complications and quality control issues are major obstacles. He added that after tariffs were imposed on India’s pharmaceutical industry, new opportunities have emerged for Pakistan, but quality remains a serious challenge. He assured that the Chicago Chamber will fully support Pakistani businessmen.
Dr. Sameer Shafii said that strict visa policies in the US have created a shortage of human resources, forcing American companies to look for outsourcing options. He suggested establishing special facilitation centers in Pakistan for such companies, as there is significant potential in this area.
He also pointed out that overseas Pakistanis face difficulties in taking their capital out of Pakistan after investing, which has reduced investment inflows. Regulatory issues and lack of ease of doing business are major hurdles. LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol reaffirmed that LCCI, overseas Pakistani business community and relevant institutions will work together to resolve these issues and continue joint efforts to boost exports, investment and economic growth.
Copyright media, 2025
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