FPCCI seeks greater trade, investment cooperation among OIC members
Listen2 min
Read aloud by your device’s built-in synthetic voice, not a recording. Needs a browser that can read aloud.
✧ GENERATE BRIEFING
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry has called for deeper economic integration and trade cooperation among Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states to address underutilized market potential. FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh noted that while the fifty-seven OIC member countries represented a combined economy of approximately $10.77 trillion in 2025, intra-OIC trade accounted for only 20.36 percent of their total foreign trade, even as members recorded about $1.7 trillion in exports and $1.6 trillion in imports. Sheikh emphasized that enhanced trade facilitation, connectivity, and financial linkages across sectors like textiles, agriculture, halal food, and minerals could drive commercial growth and foreign investment. Expanding these ties aims to diversify Pakistan's export base beyond traditional markets, encouraging joint ventures, private-sector interaction, and stronger business partnerships within the wider Islamic economic block.
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has called for deeper economic integration among Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, saying the bloc’s large combined market remains significantly underutilised.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said the 57 OIC countries represented a combined economy of around $10.77 trillion in 2025. Despite the scale of the bloc, intra-OIC trade accounted for only 20.36% of members’ total foreign trade, highlighting considerable room for expansion.
According to the FPCCI, OIC countries recorded around $1.7 trillion in exports and $1.6 trillion in imports during 2025. Sheikh argued that stronger trade facilitation, connectivity and financial linkages could help convert the bloc’s economic size into greater commercial activity among member countries.
He called for Pakistan to deepen its economic engagement with the wider Islamic world by shifting relations towards stronger trade, investment and business partnerships. Greater private-sector interaction, he said, could create opportunities for joint ventures and cross-border investment.
The FPCCI chief also highlighted areas where cooperation could be expanded, including textiles, agriculture, halal food, minerals and other sectors where OIC economies possess significant production and consumer-market potential. Pakistan’s geographic position and sizeable domestic market could also help attract investment from other OIC economies.
The call comes amid wider efforts by Pakistan’s business community to improve regional economic integration. FPCCI has previously stressed stronger banking connectivity, institutional cooperation and business-to-business links among developing economies to reduce barriers to trade and investment.
For Pakistan, deeper commercial ties with OIC markets could provide additional destinations for exports while opening channels for foreign investment and technology partnerships. Expanding trade within the bloc could also support diversification of Pakistan’s export base beyond traditional markets.
Sheikh said the economic potential of the Islamic world should be translated into practical cooperation through greater trade, investment and joint business activity, making stronger private-sector linkages a key part of future OIC economic integration.
Investments
Investments
Investments