ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom (UK) expect a major boost in bilateral trade between the two countries, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Monday, following the arrival of British Trade Commissioner Oliver Christian in Islamabad on a three-day visit.
Christian, who serves as the Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan as well as the UK counsel general to Dubai, landed in Islamabad over the weekend on his first-ever trip to strengthen economic and trade links with Pakistan.
He has facilitated over £78 billion in investment and export deals apart from playing a key role in launching the UK Global Investment Summit and the Office of Investment, according to the British high commission in Islamabad.
On Monday, the UK trade commissioner, met with Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal to explore avenues to enhance bilateral trade, the Pakistani commerce ministry said.
“The meeting highlighted the need for sectoral collaboration and a business-to-business matchmaking approach to target growth areas in both countries,” it said in a statement. “Jam Kamal emphasized Pakistan’s immense potential in the food sector, particularly through value addition.”
Kamal underscored his government’s commitment to expanding trade and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s plan to achieve an ambitious export growth target of $60 billion from the existing $30 billion. He highlighted Pakistan’s success in organizing an International Food and Agriculture Exhibition in Karachi on Aug. 9-11, where more than 800 foreign delegates participated.
“This was the first event of its kind, with such a large international presence and it opened doors to significant business opportunities,” the minister said.
Citing Pakistan’s growing exports in information technology, mining, horticulture and dairy, Kamal discussed the potential for future exports, including olive products. “Pakistan is on its way to becoming a significant olive exporter, with vast cultivation underway,” he shared.
The UK trade commissioner acknowledged Pakistan’s vast potential and assured full support for increasing the trade volume between the two nations, according to the Pakistani commerce ministry. Both sides emphasized the importance of the UK-Pakistan Trade Dialogue, a platform to be established soon to promote trade and investment.
As the UK diversifies its import sources post-Brexit, Kamal highlighted Pakistan’s potential to become a key supplier of food products to the UK, given its compliance with international standards.
Pakistan and the UK have a long and multifaceted relationship, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora community. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also accepted an invitation by King Charles III over a telephone call last week to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa next month from October 21-26.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s deputy premier Ishaq Dar also embarked on a five-day official visit to London, where he held wide-ranging discussions with the new British administration.
During his visit, Christian will announce significant new partnerships, including a strategic transnational education agreement between Beaconhouse International College and the University of Essex, the British high commission said on Sunday. The partnership with Essex University aimed to provide Pakistani students access to world-class education in business, computing and law subjects, it added.
The high commission said Britain’s Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust partnered with Novacare hospitals to set up a 250-bed hospital in Islamabad, which would open in 2026 and offer 28 clinical services along international standards.
Terming Pakistan as the third-largest trade partner, British Deputy High Commissioner Sarah Mooney said on Sunday the UK was committed to “driving economic development,” while addressing challenges that “hold back growth.”
“This visit reinforces our commitment to working together to unlock opportunities to benefit both countries,” she said.
Christain said British firms operating in Pakistan were market leaders in their respective fields that were “trusted by millions of consumers.”
“We are dedicated to strengthening our economic relationship with Pakistan, not just through investments and partnerships but by working together to demonstrate the opportunity here for UK businesses,” he said.
The high commission said the UK was Pakistan’s third-largest export market, with the total trade amounting to $5 billion in the four quarters leading up to the end of 2024.
Pakistan, UK eye major trade boost amid high-ranking British official’s visit to Islamabad
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Pakistan, UK eye major trade boost amid high-ranking British official’s visit to Islamabad
- Oliver Christian has facilitated over £78 billion in investment and export deals apart from playing a key role in launching the UK Global Investment Summit
- In meeting with Pakistan’s commerce minister, the UK trade commissioner acknowledged Pakistan’s potential and assured support for increasing trade volume
Anti-fuel smuggling drive boosts Pakistan revenues 82%, PM office says
- Crackdown targets illegal petroleum trade using GPS tracking and pump registration
- July–November gains cited as government intensifies tax, customs enforcement
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani prime minister’s office said on Friday revenues from petroleum products rose 82% between July and November 2025 after a nationwide crackdown on fuel smuggling, as the government steps up enforcement to curb tax evasion and losses that have long strained public finances.
The increase was cited during a weekly performance review of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to accelerate action against smuggling and tax evasion, according to a statement issued by the PM’s Office.
Fuel smuggling has been a persistent problem in Pakistan, where subsidised or untaxed petroleum products are often trafficked across borders or sold through unregistered pumps, depriving the state of revenue and distorting domestic energy markets. Successive governments have blamed the practice for billions of rupees in annual losses, while international lenders have repeatedly urged tighter enforcement as part of broader fiscal reforms.
“Every year the nation loses billions due to smuggling,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement, praising customs authorities for successful operations and noting that revenues from petroleum products increased by 82% from July to November 2025 compared with the same period last year.
The PM said stricter enforcement had brought several goods back into the formal economy, adding that there would be “no leniency” toward those involved in tax evasion or illegal trade.
Officials briefed the prime minister that Pakistan Customs has rolled out a nationwide enforcement framework, including GPS tracking of petroleum product transportation, registration of fuel stations through a digital monitoring system, and legal action against illegal machinery under updated petroleum laws.
The government has also instructed provincial administrations to cooperate fully with federal authorities in shutting down illegal petrol pumps, the statement said.
Sharif said enforcement efforts would continue until smuggling networks were dismantled and tax compliance improved, as the government seeks to strengthen revenues amid ongoing economic reforms.
Pakistan has struggled for years with weak tax collection and a narrow revenue base, forcing repeated bailouts from the International Monetary Fund. Smuggling of fuel, cigarettes, electronics and consumer goods has been identified by policymakers as a major obstacle to improving revenues and stabilising the economy.
Independent research shows that Pakistan loses an estimated Rs750 billion (about $2.7 billion) annually in tax revenue due to illicit trade and smuggling across sectors such as petroleum, tobacco and pharmaceuticals. Broader analyzes suggest total tax revenue losses linked to the informal economy and smuggling may reach as high as Rs3.4 trillion (around $12.1 billion) a year, roughly a quarter of the government’s annual tax targets.
Smuggled petroleum products alone are thought to cost the state about Rs270 billion (around $960 million) a year in lost revenue, underscoring why authorities have focused recent enforcement efforts on fuel tracking and pump registration.
