Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and head of the Economic Cooperation Organization Chamber of Commerce and Industry, proposed a special ECO visa sticker to ease movement for the business community of ECO member states and boost mutual trade and economic ties.
The proposal was presented during a meeting in Islamabad with ECO Secretary General Dr. Asad Majeed, where Sheikh also offered to host the ECO-CCI Secretariat in Pakistan and sought the Secretary General’s assistance to establish it. He reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to host the upcoming ECO Executive Committee meeting to advance business coordination across the region.
Secretary General Asad Majeed noted that trade among ECO members remains well below its potential and urged the business community to focus on stronger linkages. The meeting included a detailed discussion on how the current uncertainty in the Middle East is affecting regional economies and what measures the ECO business network can take to mitigate impacts.
Participants highlighted the role that a dedicated ECO visa sticker could play in removing administrative barriers and facilitating faster business travel, investment follow-ups, and joint ventures. The Pakistani leadership’s active diplomatic efforts for peace in the region were also discussed, with participants expressing hope for progress in forthcoming Iran-US talks and for resulting economic stability.
The meeting in Islamabad was attended by business leaders including Chairman United Group Tariq Sadiq, Vice President Tariq Jadoon, Chairman Capital Office Kareem Aziz Malik, Chairman Coordination Malik Sohail Hussain, Mian Akram Farid, Umar Rehan Sheikh and Omais Khattak, who welcomed initiatives to strengthen intra-ECO commerce and practical steps to enhance trade facilitation.
