ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Tunisia are looking to deepen economic ties, with Tunisian Chargé d’Affaires Dorsaf Maaroufi saying a proposed Preferential Trade Agreement could open new avenues for bilateral trade, investment and commercial cooperation.
Speaking at a farewell reception hosted in her honour by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Maaroufi said the two countries needed to bring their economic relationship closer to the level of their longstanding political and diplomatic ties.
She said efforts were underway to expand bilateral trade and noted that the proposed PTA could help businesses in both countries gain better market access and develop stronger commercial linkages.
Maaroufi also recalled an ICCI business delegation’s visit to Tunisia in 2025, where Pakistani representatives participated in the International Coffee Festival and signed agreements with local chambers of commerce. She described the visit as an important step towards strengthening business-to-business ties.
The Tunisian diplomat also thanked Pakistan for its diplomatic support for Tunisia at international forums and said Islamabad’s foreign policy positions had earned appreciation in her country.
Business Community Calls for Stronger Connectivity
Secretary General of the United Business Group Zafar Bakhtawari said stronger connectivity could help Pakistan and Tunisia unlock trade, investment, tourism and business opportunities that remain largely untapped.
He said relations between the two countries were rooted in history, recalling Pakistan’s support for Tunisia’s independence movement before the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
Bakhtawari said the longstanding political goodwill now needed to be translated into direct trade, investment, tourism and stronger business-to-business engagement.
He also praised Maaroufi’s role during her five-year diplomatic posting in Islamabad, saying she had helped build closer links between the Tunisian Embassy, ICCI and Pakistan’s business community.
ICCI Seeks Broader Economic Links With Africa
ICCI Acting President Irfan Chaudhry said Pakistan should turn its historic relations with African countries into stronger trade and investment partnerships.
He said greater commercial engagement with Africa could create new opportunities for Pakistani exporters, investors and businesses while supporting broader economic growth.
Participants at the event also stressed the importance of people-to-people contacts, tourism and institutional cooperation in strengthening Pakistan-Tunisia relations.
Director Foreign Affairs of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Asif Luqman Qazi highlighted Tunisia’s historical contributions to education, culture and Islamic civilisation and praised the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
The farewell reception was attended by diplomats, ICCI executive members and business leaders, including representatives from Rwanda, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
With discussions around a Preferential Trade Agreement gaining attention, both sides are increasingly looking to convert decades of diplomatic goodwill into a more substantive economic partnership built around trade, investment and private-sector cooperation.
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