Over 600 Deals in focus as EU giants Adidas, IKEA join Key Business Forum in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan hosted a high-profile EU–Pakistan Business Forum, and the event brought together representatives from leading global companies.

More than 600 Business-to-business (B2B) meetings are on the sidelines of EU-Pakistan Business Forum. Adidas, IKEA, and Andritz, alongside officials from the European Investment Bank and prominent Pakistani business leaders, are in line to go ahead with a country of over 250 million people.

While a war rages in the region —

Adidas. IKEA. Andritz. EU Investment Bank.

All at PM House, Islamabad. Today.

600+ B2B meetings on the sidelines of the EU-Pakistan Business Forum.

The world isn’t avoiding Pakistan.

The world is investing in it. 🇵🇰🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/LbVvOxZ4yH

— Farhad Jarral (@FarhadJarralPK) April 28, 2026

EU officials and top European business leaders called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at PM House. The premier welcomed the delegation, calling EU Pakistan’s largest trading partner and top export destination, and assured continued efforts to facilitate trade and investment ties despite regional challenges.

The forum featured extensive commercial activity on its sidelines, as meetings focused on identifying investment opportunities, expanding bilateral trade, and strengthening industrial cooperation across a wide range of sectors.

These discussions stressed importance of deepening economic ties between Islamabad and the EU, even as geopolitical instability continues to impact regional markets and global supply chains.

Participants highlighted several key sectors as central to future collaboration, including manufacturing, renewable energy, infrastructure development, and supply chain integration. These areas were identified as strategic priorities for boosting long-term economic cooperation between Pakistan and European partners.

Despite the challenging geopolitical environment, the forum underscored a consistent message from both Pakistani and European stakeholders: economic engagement remains active, resilient, and ongoing. Both sides reiterated their commitment to maintaining and expanding commercial partnerships, viewing continued dialogue and investment as essential to long-term regional and international economic stability.