Dar says economic cooperation main driving force behind Pak-Austria ties

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has said economic cooperation is the main driving force of Pakistan-Austria bilateral relations.

Speaking at the Pak-Austria Business Roundtable held in Vienna on Monday, Dar emphasised the need to convert the immense trade potential into performance as the current bilateral trade volume does not reflect the true potential of Pakistan-Austria relationship.

Dar said Austria represents technological excellence, advanced manufacturing, and green innovation, while Pakistan brings dynamism, scale, resilience, and a rapidly evolving economic landscape with immense potential. He said with a population of over 250 million, Pakistan offers one of the world's most promising emerging consumer and production markets.

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted that over the past years, Pakistan has undertaken structural economic reforms aimed at stabilizing the macroeconomic environment, improving fiscal discipline, enhancing transparency, and facilitating ease of doing business.

He said Pakistan views Europe as a vital economic partner and seeks to further diversify exports, enhance quality standards, and integrate more deeply into European supply chains.

Ishaq Dar expressed the confidence that today's discussions will pave the way for new business linkages, joint ventures, and partnerships to ensure inclusive growth and sustainable development.