Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have called for a significant expansion of Pakistan-Croatia relations, emphasizing stronger cooperation in trade, investment, information technology, connectivity, tourism, agriculture, and skilled manpower during the official visit of Croatia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Dr. Gordan Grlić Radman, to Islamabad.
In separate meetings, the Pakistani leadership described the visit as a milestone in bilateral relations, highlighting the importance of increasing economic engagement and strengthening political and diplomatic ties between the two countries. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing collaboration across multiple sectors and invited Croatian businesses to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan.
The prime minister also conveyed his greetings to Croatian President Zoran Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, extending invitations for official visits to Pakistan. Croatian Foreign Minister Dr. Gordan Grlić Radman praised Pakistan’s efforts in promoting regional peace and expressed his government’s desire to broaden cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
During his meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani encouraged Croatian investors to take advantage of opportunities in Pakistan’s information technology, renewable energy, agriculture, livestock, food processing, tourism, hospitality, urban development, and water management sectors. He highlighted the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in simplifying investment procedures for foreign companies.
Gilani noted that bilateral trade and investment remain below their full potential and stressed the need for greater commercial engagement, parliamentary exchanges, and business collaboration. He also welcomed the contributions of Croatian companies already operating in Pakistan, including Infobip and KONČAR, expressing hope that their success would encourage further investment.
The acting president additionally emphasized expanding opportunities for skilled Pakistani workers in Croatia, particularly in construction, transport, and hospitality, describing labour mobility as another avenue to strengthen economic and people-to-people relations. Both sides expressed optimism that the first-ever visit of a Croatian foreign minister to Pakistan would pave the way for deeper strategic, economic, and diplomatic cooperation in the years ahead.
