ISLAMABAD: Iraq’s Consul General Maher Mjhid Jejan has proposed a sea link between Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi and Basra in a bid to improve logistics and strengthen trade routes, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said on Wednesday.
Relations between Pakistan and Iraq have received a boost with a number of ministerial-level exchanges in recent years. The two countries have held discussions on enhancing defense and law enforcement cooperation, focusing on counterterrorism, counternarcotics and intelligence-sharing. Pakistan has attempted to strengthen trade, investment and cooperation in priority sectors with regional allies in recent months as it attempts to attract international investment to achieve sustainable economic growth.
Jejan visited the KCCI’s office on Wednesday during which he met the organization’s leadership. Talks between the two sides focused on strengthening business relations between and encouraging investment.
“He also proposed that a sea link between Basra and Karachi could play a key role in bringing the business communities of both countries closer together,” the KCCI said in a statement. “This connection could improve logistics and strengthen trade routes.”
Jejan said Iraq has introduced new investment laws designed to attract foreign investors, adding that these laws will be shared with the KCCI to help Pakistani businesses understand the opportunities available.
“He recognized the high quality of Pakistani products and expressed hope that Pakistani exporters and investors will explore the Iraqi market more actively,” the statement said.
The Iraqi consul general said his country is witnessing rapid development and offers immense potential for trade and investment. He encouraged Pakistani businessmen to visit Iraq and see first-hand the “peaceful and stable environment” in the country.
KCCI Senior Vice President Zia ul Arfeen told Jejan that Pakistan’s exports to Iraq stood at $54.29 million in FY24 while its imports from Iraq amounted to $145.46 million.
“He said that this trade volume is far below the actual potential and emphasized the need for both countries to simplify customs procedures, promote ease of doing business, and expand the range of tradable goods and services,” the KCCI said.
Arfeen said establishing an oil pipeline between Basra and Pakistan’s southwestern coastal city of Gwadar could create an important trade corridor for Iraq to access other Asian markets.
Iraq proposes sea link between Karachi and Basra to strengthen trade routes
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Iraq proposes sea link between Karachi and Basra to strengthen trade routes
- Iraqi Consul General Maher Mjhid Jejan visits Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s office to meet its leadership
- Jejan hoped Pakistani exporters, investors take advantage of Iraq’s opportunities, explore its market more actively, says KCCI
At ECO meeting, Pakistan proposes ‘Regional Innovation Hub’ to curb natural disasters
- Pakistan hosts high-level 10th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction in Islamabad
- Innovation hub to focus on early warning technologies, risk informed infrastructure planning
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has proposed to set up a “Regional Innovation Hub on Disaster Risk Reduction” that focuses on early warning technologies and risk informed infrastructure planning, the Press Information Department (PID) said on Wednesday, as Islamabad hosts a high-level meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
The ECO’s 10th Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is being held from Jan. 21-22 at the headquarters of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Pakistan’s capital.
The high-level regional forum brings together ministers, and senior officials from ECO member states, representatives of the ECO Secretariat and regional and international partner organizations. The event is aimed to strengthen collective efforts toward enhancing disaster resilience across the ECO region, the PID said.
“Key agenda items include regional cooperation on early warning systems, disaster risk information management, landslide hazard zoning, inclusive disaster preparedness initiatives, and Pakistan’s proposal to establish a Regional Innovation Hub on Disaster Risk Reduction, focusing on early warning technologies, satellite data utilization, and risk-informed infrastructure planning,” the statement said.
The meeting was attended by delegations from ECO member states including Pakistan, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Representatives of regional and international organizations and development partners were also in attendance.
Discussions focused on enhancing regional coordination, harmonizing disaster risk reduction frameworks, and strengthening collective preparedness against transboundary and climate-induced hazards impacting the ECO region, the PID said.
ECO members states such as Pakistan, Türkiye, Afghanistan and others have faced natural calamities such as floods and earthquakes in recent years that have killed tens of thousands of people.
Heavy rains triggered catastrophic floods in Pakistan in 2022 and 2025 that killed thousands of people and caused damages to critical infrastructure, inflicting losses worth billions of dollars.
Islamabad has since then called on regional countries to join hands to cooperate to avert future climate disasters and promote early warning systems to avoid calamities in future.
