Pakistan, Sweden Explore New Investment Opportunities, Strengthen Economic Ties
Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh Highlights Investment Opportunities for Swedish Businesses
Swedish Ambassador Proposes Direct Engagement with Companies to Address Business Challenges
Islamabad – 10 October, 2026 (Adnan Hameed): Federal Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh has emphasized the government’s commitment to promoting value-added exports, industrial development and removing barriers to investment, as Pakistan seeks to attract international investors, including Swedish companies.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Swedish Ambassador to Pakistan Alexandra Berg von Linde, where both sides discussed strengthening bilateral economic relations, enhancing investment cooperation and exploring new business opportunities for Swedish companies in Pakistan.
The minister highlighted the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Sweden and acknowledged Sweden’s expertise in education, governance, technology and innovation. He said both countries had significant potential to expand their economic partnership through greater investment, technology transfer and business-to-business collaboration.
Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said Pakistan was actively working to improve its investment climate and strengthen its position as an attractive investment destination. He also highlighted improvements in key economic indicators, the country’s external-sector position and sovereign credit assessments.
Identifying promising sectors for Swedish investment, the minister encouraged businesses to explore opportunities in agriculture, mining and minerals, information technology, digital services, engineering and manufacturing. He emphasized that Swedish expertise could support Pakistan’s economic transformation through modern production methods, innovation, technology transfer and sustainable industrial development.
Briefing the ambassador on Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the minister outlined incentives available to eligible investors under the applicable legal and policy framework. These include income-tax exemptions extending up to 2035 and exemptions on import duties and taxes on eligible machinery, subject to relevant conditions. He said these measures were designed to attract new capital, promote industrialization and encourage export-oriented production.
Ambassador Highlights Business Cooperation and Sustainable Energy
Swedish Ambassador Alexandra Berg von Linde underscored the longstanding connections between Pakistan and Sweden, highlighting the active Pakistani diaspora in Sweden and growing interest among Pakistani students in pursuing higher education there. She said these links offered opportunities to strengthen people-to-people contacts and institutional collaboration.
The ambassador informed the minister that Swedish companies operating in Pakistan were represented through the Swedish Business Council, where business concerns and investment opportunities were regularly discussed. She suggested that direct engagement with Swedish companies could help identify practical challenges faced by businesses and determine measures needed to improve the investment climate.
She also offered to facilitate meetings between BOI officials and Swedish company representatives, enabling businesses to share their operational experiences, highlight difficulties and propose practical solutions to improve the business environment.
Emphasizing the importance of the global energy transition, the ambassador expressed Sweden’s interest in supporting Pakistan’s efforts to move towards a more sustainable energy future. She also highlighted the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and creating broader commercial opportunities.
BIT Negotiations Expected in November
During the meeting, BOI Director General Abdul Samie welcomed Sweden’s interest in engaging on the review of the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and reiterated the board’s readiness to work closely with Swedish counterparts to advance the process. He said BOI had already sought guidance on the way forward and looked forward to constructive engagement.
Both sides discussed the proposed commencement of the first round of BIT negotiations in November 2026, with a Swedish delegation expected to meet Pakistani counterparts. Abdul Samie emphasized the importance of identifying regulatory and operational bottlenecks faced by Swedish companies and working towards practical solutions.
Senior BOI officials, including Director General Abdul Samie and Asif Khan, along with other officials, attended the meeting, according to a press release.
The discussions reflected a shared interest in strengthening Pakistan-Sweden economic relations through increased investment, improved business facilitation, sustainable development and closer engagement between the private sectors of both countries.
