Pakistan eyes BRICS+ to boost trade | The Express Tribune

LAHORE:

Pakistan’s fashion and textile industry is stepping into a new era of global engagement as the BRICS+ Fashion Summit 2025 in Moscow opens fresh opportunities for trade diversification and cultural diplomacy.

The event, endorsed by more than 50 of the world’s leading fashion weeks, has provided a vital platform for countries like Pakistan to showcase their textile artistry, innovation and craftsmanship to non-traditional markets beyond the West.

The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) hailed the successful organisation of the summit and called for using this international platform to strengthen Pakistan’s trade and fashion outreach across Central Asia and Russia.

Mubashar Naseer Butt, PRGMEA’s former central chairman who represented Pakistan for the third time at the summit, said the BRICS+ initiative presents a major opportunity to diversify Pakistan’s export markets beyond the West by building stronger linkages with the fast-growing Eurasian economies.

“BRICS+ is not just an exhibition, it is a bridge between economies, cultures and people,” Butt said. “Pakistan has the creativity, production capacity and craftsmanship to excel in new markets. The summit allows us to project our textile heritage, from Ajrak and Pashmina to embroidered fashion collections, in ways that connect with global buyers seeking authenticity and diversity.”

The BRICS+ Fashion Summit, which brought together participants from more than 100 emerging and established markets, also led to the formation of the BRICS International Fashion Federation (BRICS IFF). Supported by dozens of international fashion weeks, the federation aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration, sustainability and innovation through design and technology.

For Pakistan, participation in such global platforms is crucial as it looks to lessen its export dependence on the West. Textile exports, the backbone of the national economy, stood at $17.88 billion in fiscal year 2024-25, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. However, nearly two-thirds of these exports still go to traditional Western destinations, mainly the United States and the European Union.

Butt emphasised that Pakistan is ideally positioned to act as a trade bridge between South Asia, Central Asia and Europe. To turn that geographical advantage into tangible results, he called for the creation of a Pak-Russia Business Council under the BRICS+ framework and the establishment of reliable banking channels to ensure smooth transactions between Pakistani exporters and Russian importers.

He also urged for visa facilitation for business leaders and more structured participation of Pakistani brands in the upcoming BRICS+ fashion events.

Nisar Ahmed, a textile trader, said that platforms like BRICS+ offer a much-needed space for Pakistan’s textile sector to evolve. “To tap the true potential of this platform, Pakistan has to show the world its creativity while speeding up value addition in textile products,” he said. “Our competitors are already blending heritage with high fashion and technology. If we want to remain relevant, we must invest in modern design capabilities, sustainable production and quick delivery models,” he added.

The BRICS+ summit also highlighted the growing importance of Fashion Tech – a field that merges technology with fashion through innovations like 3D clothing modeling, smart fabrics and virtual try-ons. Such advancements, experts believe, can help Pakistan cut production costs, improve design efficiency and align with sustainability standards increasingly demanded by global buyers.

However, experts agree that Pakistan’s textile future depends on how fast it adapts to new realities. While cultural richness gives Pakistan an edge, the country’s real breakthrough lies in innovation, consistency and global visibility.

“Fashion today is about more than fabric, it’s about storytelling, technology and speed. If Pakistan combines all three, the world will start looking towards us not just as a manufacturer, but as a trendsetter.” Ahmed said, adding “this is the only way for Pakistan to increase the export revenue towards $25 billion per year, a landmark figure, which is still a dream for country’s vibrant sector.”