Ahsan Iqbal Urges Sialkot Exporters To Target $1B Milestone.
✧ GENERATE BRIEFING +
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has urged Sialkot’s export-oriented industries to aim for a $1 billion annual export threshold per company by shifting from low-margin manufacturing to high-value, tech-driven production and globally recognized brands. Speaking at a business networking reception hosted by the German-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) and the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA), the minister proposed national incentives for firms achieving the $1 billion milestone. The gathering featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between GPCCI and PRGMEA to boost readymade garment trade with Germany, alongside calls from German Ambassador Ina Lepel to leverage EU GSP+ concessions and adopt German technical education frameworks.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has urged Sialkot’s exporters to set ambitious targets, adopt modern technologies, and transition from low-cost contract manufacturing to high-value, globally recognized brands.
Speaking at the inaugural Business Networking Reception organized by the German-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) in collaboration with the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA), Iqbal stated that foreign-exchange-generating exporters should be treated as national heroes. He called for dedicated government incentives for companies that achieve the landmark status of becoming Pakistan’s first $1 billion export entity.
The minister also highlighted vast avenues for economic collaboration between Pakistan and Germany in engineering, manufacturing, technology, and vocational training models to upgrade the domestic skilled workforce.
GPCCI and PRGMEA Sign Trade MoU
A key highlight of the event was the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between GPCCI and PRGMEA aimed at expanding and promoting the readymade garment trade between Pakistan and Germany. The agreement sets a structured framework for sharing bilateral trade and investment data, strengthening B2B links, and improving international market access for local apparel exporters.
German Ambassador to Pakistan and GPCCI Patron-in-Chief Ina Lepel, in a recorded video address, underscored the central role of the European Union’s GSP+ preference scheme in driving Pakistan-Germany trade relations and praised the enduring resilience of the Pakistani business community.
Former Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan noted that Germany remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner within the EU. He urged trade bodies to facilitate market integration for small- and medium-sized exporters (SMEs), citing Sialkot-based Forward Sports—which manufactured official footballs for the FIFA World Cup—as a primary example of global competitiveness.
The networking reception marked GPCCI’s first formal outreach initiative in Sialkot, providing a strategic platform for local industries to expand their footprint across Germany and the wider European market.
