Malaysian High Commissioner, ICCI President Discuss Expanding Bilateral Economic Cooperation
Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Mohammad Azhar Mazlan, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Pakistan, met on 19 February 2026 with Sardar Tahir Mehmood, the newly elected President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), to explore avenues for strengthening Malaysia–Pakistan trade and investment cooperation.
The discussions centered on key sectors with strong growth potential, including halal beef collaboration, pharmaceutical cooperation, edible oil trade, the information technology industry, and the export of Pakistani basmati rice to Malaysia. Both sides underscored the importance of leveraging economic complementarities to expand trade volumes and promote deeper private sector engagement.
The possibility of launching a direct flight between Islamabad and Kuala Lumpur through a Malaysian carrier was also discussed. The participants noted that enhanced air connectivity would significantly boost tourism, business exchanges, and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
Highlighting Malaysia’s development expertise, the High Commissioner pointed to Malaysia’s involvement in infrastructure and commercial projects in Pakistan. These include highway construction initiatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the development of Giga Mall in Rawalpindi, and Defence Raya Golf & Country Club. He also noted Malaysia’s engagement in Pakistan’s energy sector through TNB Remaco and in telecommunications infrastructure via edotco Group.
President Sardar Tahir Mehmood welcomed Malaysia’s sustained engagement and reaffirmed ICCI’s commitment to strengthening business-to-business linkages. The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to further enhance bilateral economic cooperation and deepen the longstanding ties between Malaysia and Pakistan.
