President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Economic Cooperation Organization Chamber of Commerce and Industry leader Atif Ikram Sheikh met with ECO Secretary General Dr. Asad Majeed at the President Secretariat in Islamabad and proposed a special ECO visa sticker to ease travel for the business community of ECO member states and strengthen regional trade links.
Sheikh offered to establish the ECO-CCI Secretariat in Pakistan and requested the Secretary General’s support in making Islamabad a hub for the chamber’s administrative work. He also volunteered to host the upcoming ECO Executive Committee meeting, saying practical steps such as a streamlined ECO visa could significantly improve business connectivity across member countries.
Both leaders discussed the broader economic fallout from uncertainty in the Middle East, with Sheikh noting that the situation affects trade and investment flows across the region, including Pakistan. He expressed optimism about ongoing diplomatic efforts by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Field Marshal and the Foreign Minister for peace in the region, and anticipated a possible breakthrough in Iran–US talks in the coming days.
Dr. Asad Majeed stressed that mutual trade among ECO members remains far below potential and urged the business community to focus on stronger linkages and trade facilitation measures. The proposal for an ECO visa sticker was presented as a concrete tool to remove friction for business travel and support greater commercial engagement.
The meeting was attended by senior business figures 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, Omais Khattak and other business leaders who supported the emphasis on trade facilitation and deeper ECO cooperation.
Officials said advancing the ECO visa proposal and hosting the ECO-CCI Secretariat in Pakistan are intended to accelerate trade links, simplify business travel and strengthen the role of Pakistani industry in regional economic initiatives.
