Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, continued his official tour of the United Kingdom with a high-impact visit to Birmingham, where he engaged with key business stakeholders to foster deeper commercial relations and expand Pakistan’s export presence in the UK market. The engagements focused on driving innovation-led trade, building regional value chains, and leveraging diaspora networks to enhance Pakistan’s economic outreach.
During a detailed meeting with the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, the Minister laid out Pakistan’s strategic direction for export diversification. Moving beyond its traditional export base, Pakistan is actively positioning itself to supply high-quality goods and services aligned with the UK’s evolving industrial requirements. He highlighted Pakistan’s growing capabilities in non-traditional sectors including processed foods, fisheries, pharmaceuticals, leather goods, ceramics, IT services, furniture, and sports goods.
The Minister pointed to the Midlands as a promising region for trade growth and emphasized Pakistan’s potential as a strategic supplier for Birmingham’s advanced manufacturing and automotive sectors. He specifically referenced Pakistan’s cost-effective light engineering and metal fabrication capacities, as well as its consistent track record of serving global automotive brands, as reasons for British businesses to engage more actively with Pakistani suppliers.
Food exports also featured prominently in the discussions. The Minister urged Birmingham-based companies to explore Pakistan’s world-renowned agricultural offerings, such as Basmati rice, mangoes, and a broad range of halal-certified processed foods. These products, he noted, not only meet UK market demands but also align with the growing preference for traceable, high-quality ethnic and halal food options.
Addressing emerging global trends, the Minister also spotlighted Pakistan’s National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy and the country’s ongoing shift towards renewable energy. He invited UK industry stakeholders to explore collaboration in areas such as electric drivetrain systems, battery technologies, and other green mobility solutions that directly support Birmingham’s ambitions for low-emission transport and environmental sustainability.
A visit to Birmingham City Football Club offered another dimension to the trip, allowing the Minister to observe community engagement models and explore avenues to promote Pakistan’s globally recognized football manufacturing industry. The engagement helped showcase Pakistan’s leadership in supplying quality footballs to top-tier leagues around the world, emphasizing its relevance in both sports and global consumer product markets.
Later, the Minister visited Nouvo, a prominent UK-based food distribution company, where he met with leading retailers and distributors responsible for importing Pakistani food products into the UK Midlands. Nouvo is known for its extensive network supplying top British supermarket chains with ethnic food products. Discussions focused on enhancing the commercial supply chain, expanding the market presence of Pakistani food brands, and driving the growth of halal-certified goods in mainstream UK retail.
These engagements underline Pakistan’s renewed focus on value-added exports, industrial collaboration, and leveraging its global diaspora to drive commercial diplomacy. The visit reflects a broader policy direction aimed at transforming Pakistan into a reliable and innovation-driven trade partner for the United Kingdom.
