A delegation-level meeting co-chaired by Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan Jam Kamal Khan and Cambodia’s Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul was held today in Islamabad to further strengthen bilateral trade, investment, and industrial cooperation between Pakistan and Cambodia.
The meeting was attended by Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce; Jawad Paul, Secretary Commerce; and senior officials from relevant ministries, regulatory bodies, and industry on both sides.
Welcoming the Cambodian delegation, Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan termed the visit significant for deepening Pakistan–Cambodia economic relations, both bilaterally and within the broader ASEAN framework. He emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to translating diplomatic engagement into concrete commercial and industrial outcomes.
The Commerce Minister highlighted Pakistan’s ability to supply a wide range of raw materials and intermediate goods, that Cambodia currently imports from other sources. In this context, he underlined Pakistan’s potential as a reliable alternative supplier, particularly of high-quality fabrics already used by leading global brands, which could help diversify supply chains and enhance resilience.
Discussions focused extensively on the textile and garment sector, where both countries possess strong export bases. The Minister noted that Pakistan is the third-largest global supplier of home textiles, presenting clear opportunities for Cambodia to expand sourcing from Pakistan. Both sides agreed that closer integration across the textile value chain—covering yarn, fabrics, processing, stitching, and value addition—could enhance competitiveness in regional and global markets. Collaboration in technical textiles, a global market estimated at USD 300 billion, was also identified as a priority area.
The pharmaceutical sector was highlighted as another key area of cooperation. Minister Jam Kamal Khan reiterated Pakistan’s interest in expanding pharmaceutical exports to Cambodia and welcomed recent interactions between Cambodian authorities and Pakistani pharmaceutical companies. He stressed the importance of streamlining registration and regulatory procedures to ensure timely access to affordable and quality healthcare products in both markets. The Cambodian side expressed readiness to pursue technical-level engagement between regulatory authorities and industry associations.
The meeting also reviewed opportunities for cooperation through Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Processing Zones, particularly in southern Pakistan, where facilitation mechanisms have been strengthened under the Prime Minister’s guidance to attract foreign investment and joint ventures. Pakistan’s strategic geographic location as a trade and connectivity corridor linking Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Gulf markets was highlighted, including prospects for logistics hubs, warehousing, and re-export facilities for Cambodian investors.
Both sides underscored the importance of industry-to-industry engagement, welcoming the planned interaction between the Cambodian delegation and Pakistan’s textile industry. They also agreed on the value of advance sharing of annual trade fair and exhibition calendars to enable better preparation and participation by businesses from both countries.
Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan further highlighted Pakistan’s strengths in agriculture, food processing, ICT, education, healthcare, tourism, and cultural industries, noting Pakistan’s rich civilizational heritage and potential for expanded people-to-people exchanges.
Cambodian Commerce Minister Cham Nimul appreciated the warm hospitality extended by Pakistan and welcomed proposals for deeper industrial and supply-chain collaboration. She expressed interest in country-specific Special Economic Zones, halal certification cooperation, logistics hubs, and joint ventures in textiles and pharmaceuticals, emphasizing that future cooperation should be balanced and mutually beneficial.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the role of the Pakistan–Cambodia Joint Trade Committee (JTC) as the principal institutional mechanism for advancing the bilateral economic agenda and looked forward to further discussions in the upcoming JTC session to finalize priority action areas.
Concluding the meeting, the two Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening institutional linkages, enhancing commercial diplomacy, and expanding bilateral trade and investment in a sustainable and inclusive manner, aimed at unlocking the full potential of Pakistan–Cambodia economic cooperation.
