Islamabad (TDI): The Philippine Embassy in Islamabad received and welcomed a courtesy call from the Global Business Alliance (GBA) of Pakistan, led by its Chair, Muhammad Asif Noor, yesterday.
The meeting was held at the Philippine Chancery and explored opportunities to deepen economic engagement and business partnerships between the Philippines and Pakistan. GBA introduced its vision and mission before the new Ambassador of the Philippines in Islamabad, Emmanuel R. Fernandez.
The GBA delegation included the Chair of Benroy Group Zeeshan Ahmad, CEO of Mohsan & Co. Mohsan Raza Rafique, and CEO of Travel Tricks Hassan Raza, while the Ambassador was accompanied by the Third Secretary and Vice Consul Rain Mendoza, and Economic Affairs Staff Shujaat Ali Umer.
Ambassador Fernandez expressed appreciation for GBA’s interest in expanding trade and economic relations with the Philippines. He noted that the Embassy is committed to helping improve the balance of trade between Pakistan and the Philippines.
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The Chair of GBA shared the success stories of the Global Business Alliance and how it has led delegations to underexplored markets such as Armenia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and expressed a strong desire to focus on Southeast Asia—particularly the Philippines—as a promising destination for trade, tourism, and investment.
Discussions also touched on the potential for cooperation in key sectors including halal products, facility management, mineral extraction, sports, tourism, and small and medium enterprise (SME) development.
Ambassador Fernandez encouraged GBA to submit detailed proposals on specific areas of collaboration and offered the Embassy’s support in connecting Pakistani businesses with businesses on the other side.
They also considered the possibility of establishing a dedicated Philippines-Pakistan Trade House or digital platform to facilitate ongoing business matchmaking and information sharing. As a next step, GBA committed to providing a formal communication outlining their business interests in the Philippines.
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