The first-ever high-level EU-Pakistan Business Forum—hailed as a landmark initiative to deepen economic ties and unlock new avenues of trade and investment—opened in Islamabad Tuesday with strong participation from policymakers, investors, and business leaders.
However, the absence of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the inaugural session of the high-profile event was widely felt, with stakeholders arguing that Pakistan missed an opportunity to project stronger diplomatic and economic signaling at a critical juncture.
Although the forum continues into Wednesday (today) and Dar may still attend the concluding session, the government’s relatively muted presence on the opening day raised eyebrows among participants and observers alike.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was originally scheduled to address the inaugural session, could not attend due to pressing engagements linked to ongoing US-Iran negotiations and meetings with global leaders.
