By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE – A seven-member delegation from the UK Government Communication Service International (GCSI) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry to strengthen ties and explore strategies for improving government communication to support trade and economic development.
The delegation was led by Ms. Jessie Beham, Head of Communications at GCSI while Communications Manager Benjamin Durston, Director General TDAP Ms. Rafia Syed, LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman spoke on the occasion. LCCI Executive Committee Members Khurram Lodhi, Ahsan Shahid, Syed Salman Ali, Firdous Nisar, Irfan Ahmad Qureshi, Waqas Aslam, Amina Randhawa, Amir Ali, Muhammad Muneeb Monnoo and Malik Asif were also present.
A detailed presentation was delivered by TDAP on the Pakistan Trade Portal, outlining its core objectives including increasing trade transparency, streamlining procedures and providing accessible trade data to boost confidence among international buyers.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad expressed appreciation for the visit and said that the role of effective communication in today’s economic landscape is critical. He said that it is a privilege to host the delegation from GCSI and TDAP. In a rapidly evolving global environment, the ability of governments to communicate clearly and strategically has become more important than ever.
“At LCCI, we believe that trust, built through transparent and timely communication, is the foundation of strong economies. It attracts investment, informs policy and nurtures inclusive growth”, he added.
Mian Abuzar shad said that we are particularly grateful to TDAP for facilitating this engagement. Their efforts in connecting public institutions with the business community are commendable.
He said that Pakistan and the United Kingdom enjoy longstanding relations and by collaborating in the field of strategic communication, we can further unlock the potential of our partnership.
LCCI Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman said that the involvement of GCSI reflects a growing commitment to leveraging digital communication for trade facilitation. He called for a briefing on the key functionalities of the Pakistan Trade Portal to help exporters take full advantage of the platform.
The LCCI office-bearers said that both Pakistan and the UK have shared interest in advancing modern, data-driven communication tools to support trade expansion and institutional cooperation. They said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry would utilize its all energies to enhance export capacity, improve the ease of doing business and build greater international confidence in Pakistan’s trade.
