By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE: The Ministery for National Heritage & Culture and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry will work together to promote Pakistan’s creative economy, preserve its cultural heritage and introduce traditional arts and handicrafts to international markets.
Read also: Speaker Punjab Assembly assures LCCI of support for business-friendly reforms
These views were expressed by the Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI President Ali Hussam Asghar, Senior Vice President Sardar Usman Ghani, Vice President Chaudhry Khadim Hussain and Federal Secretary for National Heritage and Culture Asad Rehman Gilani also spoke on the occasion. Executive Committee members Naila Nadeem, Huma Junaid, Chaudhry Muhammad Fargham, Aamir Ata Bari, Shahzad Mahmood, Muhammad Ali, Ijaz Ghouri, Syed Yousaf, Atif Amin, Shah Behram and others were also present.
Aurangzeb Khan Khichi said that promoting Pakistan’s cultural heritage, traditional arts and handicrafts internationally was among the government’s key priorities. He said that the number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) associated with the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture had increased from 23 to 40 in one year. He said that six Pakistani sites were included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, while referring to India’s 30 and China’s 60 sites in the context of international heritage recognition. He underscored the need for Pakistan to make further efforts to enhance the global recognition of its historical and cultural assets. The minister added that progress had been made during the current year on nominations for two historical sites for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
The Federal Minister said Lahore had been designated the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026–27, with plans to organise three to four major cultural events in the city. Efforts would also be made to encourage cultural participation from Karachi, Islamabad and SCO member states. Describing Lok Mela as an important international cultural platform for Pakistan, he said further opportunities would be created to introduce Pakistani artists and artisans to international audiences. He stressed the importance of cooperation with LCCI through a memorandum of understanding, joint cultural activities, training workshops and initiatives to strengthen artisans’ professional skills. Such collaboration, he said, could help take Pakistan’s traditional crafts, arts and cultural heritage to global markets, generating employment and boosting exports.
LCCI President Ali Hussam Asghar assured the minister of the Chamber’s full cooperation in promoting the creative economy, saying the sector had the potential to generate billions of dollars in economic benefits. He said that Pakistan’s cultural products needed greater international exposure and that artisans, designers, industrialists and exporters should be brought together on a common platform. This, he said, would help add value to traditional products and improve their marketing in international markets. He announced that LCCI would organise a programme to promote the creative economy and also briefed the federal minister on the Chamber’s efforts to seek amendments to business-related laws. He also urged the Federal Minister to appoint a focal person for LCCI.
LCCI Senior Vice President Sardar Usman Ghani said Lahore had exceptional potential for promoting cultural tourism because of its rich history, cultural identity and historical heritage. Effectively showcasing the city’s cultural character could attract more tourists and benefit hotels, catering services, transport and other business sectors. He said preserving cultural heritage while linking it with economic activities was an important need of the time. Cooperation among the Ministry, LCCI and relevant institutions could help promote cultural tourism and create new opportunities for local businesses. He added that closer links among artisans, designers, industrialists and the business community could help develop creative industries. Preserving Pakistan’s historical and cultural heritage, he said, was important not only for safeguarding national identity but also for promoting cultural tourism, creating employment and supporting economic growth.
LCCI Vice President Chaudhry Khadim Hussain said effective cooperation between the public and private sectors was essential to promoting Pakistan’s cultural heritage, traditional arts and handicrafts. He said that traditional Pakistani crafts and cultural products had considerable potential to access international markets and increase exports. Realising this potential would require modern designs, effective marketing and stronger international promotion.
Executive Committee members Naila Nadeem, Huma Nadeem, Shah Behram and others proposed mobilising the Lahore Chamber’s business community to sponsor and support the preservation of historical sites. Under their corporate social responsibility initiatives, businesses could provide sponsorship for cleaning, renovation, maintenance and promotion of heritage sites. Such partnerships could give businesses valuable visibility, improve the condition of historical places and help protect cultural heritage without placing an additional financial burden on the government. They also welcomed traditional festivals, noting that these could play an important role in promoting tourism.
Federal Secretary Asad Rehman Gilani said the creative economy had become an important source of employment, exports and income worldwide. Pakistan, he added, could also take its traditional skills and cultural products to international markets through contemporary designs, improved quality and effective global marketing. Citing examples, he said Bahawalpur embroidery, traditional garments, ajrak, jewellery, carpets and truck art could be presented with modern designs to generate greater demand internationally.
Emphasising the importance of cultural tourism, the federal secretary said Lahore and several other Pakistani cities possessed a rich collection of historical and cultural attractions. However, attracting tourists required trained guides, security arrangements, clean facilities, better transport and quality services. With appropriate planning and investment, he said, cultural tourism could become an important driver of economic development.
