The Ambassador of Republic of Poland Maciej Pisarski has informed that the overall trade volume between Poland and Pakistan has reached to more than US$920 million, of which Pakistan exported goods worth US$800 million due to GSP Plus arrangement which gives duty free access of Pakistani goods to Polish Market whereas Poland’s exports to Pakistan stood at US$128 million last year.
Polish Ambassador, who led a high-level trade delegation from Poland during its visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), said, “keeping in view the enormity of potential, we would like to approach this existing potential by doing what we are doing today i.e. bringing the Polish business people to Pakistan, introducing them to Pakistani potential partners and let them explore Pakistan in terms of future partnerships, besides helping them gain first hand experience.”
Underscoring the need to expand Polish-Pakistan trade and economic relations, the Envoy said that the Polish business community was very confident and has developed interesting offers not only for the traditional markets but also to be able to go global. “This is what we are doing and we are very thankful to the Ministry of Climate for sponsoring this trip to Pakistan. This is exactly the type of activity which the embassy and the public administration can and have to undertake to reinvigorate our cooperation.”
Ambassador informed that Poland’s economy stands at 21st position with a size of US$1.4 trillion today and the sixth largest economy in the European Union, characterized by enormous dynamism, innovative approach and huge resistance. “We have been the fastest growing economy in the European Union and since 1990, Polish economy has grown by 900 percent. This year, Polish imports and exports stood at around US$700 billion.”
President KCCI Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, while warmly welcoming Polish trade delegation, stated that despite growing diplomatic and cordial relationship, the potential remains largely untapped, hence, there is a pressing need to expand trade, investment, economic, cultural, and people-to-people relations to fully realize the benefits of partnership between the two countries.
“Pakistan’s strong textile manufacturing capabilities encompass yarn production, fabric weaving, and garment production. With high demand in Poland’s market, there are significant investment opportunities for Polish firms to establish textile manufacturing units or form partnerships with existing Pakistani manufacturers, leveraging both nations’ business and labor forces”, he added.
He further stated that Pakistan can also attract Polish investment by promoting its Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and offering incentives such as tax and customs duty exemptions, and streamlined regulatory processes. “Polish firms can explore opportunities in textiles, agriculture, and tourism, while showcasing their potential in machinery, electricity, ferrous metals, motor vehicles, plastics, paper products, chemicals, processed food, beauty products and oil seeds to Pakistani investors.
President KCCI pointed out that Pakistani exporters face significant inspection challenges, including limited technical resources and customs delays. To address these issues, prioritizing market preferences, planning awareness sessions for farmers, and enhancing government cooperation on pesticide-related concerns and laboratory testing are essential. Additionally, nominating a third-party laboratory for evaluating goods during shipping can ensure better adherence to regulations, he opined.
He stressed that promoting collaboration in education and technology can lead to substantial benefits for both countries. Initiatives such as academic exchange programs, collaborative research projects, and online training platforms can facilitate the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise between Pakistan and Poland.
