Direct air connectivity essential to boost Pakistan-Nepal trade and tourism: Ambassador Rita Dhital

By Muhammad Shahzad — Lahore, Pakistan

LAHORE: Ambassador of Nepal Rita Dhital has stressed the need for direct air connectivity, frequent exchange of trade delegations, single-country exhibitions and business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking to strengthen trade, investment and tourism ties between Pakistan and Nepal.

She said direct air links would facilitate business travel, tourism and people-to-people contacts, recalling that Nepal Airlines had previously operated flights to Karachi, while Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operated flights from Islamabad to Kathmandu until 2011.

The Ambassador was speaking at an interactive session at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where she met LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol to discuss measures for strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.

LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol welcomed Ambassador Dhital and said Pakistan and Nepal enjoy excellent diplomatic relations and have maintained friendly ties since 1960. He noted that both countries are members of SAARC, adding that the LCCI has consistently supported regional peace and stronger trade and economic relations among SAARC member states.

Former LCCI President Mian Anjum Nisar, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, Executive Committee Members Firdous Nisar, Abdul Majeed, Imran Saleemi, Rana Shouban Akhtar and Nadeem Ansari, along with Mujahid Ur Rehman, Hamid Ullah Khan and other business representatives, also attended the session.

President Saigol appreciated Ambassador Dhital for maintaining close liaison with the LCCI and said the Chamber looked forward to developing stronger working relations with the Embassy of Nepal and exploring matters of mutual interest.

He said the current bilateral trade volume, averaging slightly above US$4 million, did not reflect the excellent relations between Pakistan and Nepal. According to State Bank of Pakistan trade data, Pakistan’s exports to Nepal during 2025-26 stood at around US$1.4 million, while imports from Nepal were approximately US$2.8 million.

Saigol said Pakistan’s major exports to Nepal included surgical instruments, pharmaceutical products, apparel and spices, while imports from Nepal included plants used for perfumery, cardamom, opium fibre and orthopedic appliances.

He called for innovative and practical measures to substantially increase bilateral trade, stressing that greater interaction between the private sectors of the two countries could unlock significant commercial opportunities.

The LCCI President also highlighted the potential for cooperation in tourism and hospitality. He said Nepal is home to Mount Everest while Pakistan boasts K2, adding that joint ventures in hospitality and ecotourism could help attract international tourists to a South Asian adventure tourism corridor.

Ambassador Rita Dhital said Nepal and Pakistan shared decades of warm and friendly relations based on mutual trust, mutual respect and common aspirations for development. However, she observed that economic and commercial ties had yet to reach their true potential.

She recalled that Nepal and Pakistan signed a trade agreement in 1982, while the Nepal-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission was established in 1983 at the level of finance ministers. An agreement on avoidance of double taxation was signed in 2001, while a Joint Business Council was established in 1996 between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

She further noted that an MoU between the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and LCCI was concluded in 1993.

The Ambassador said governments could sign agreements, but it was ultimately the business community that transformed such agreements into economic activity. She urged businesses in both countries to operationalise existing agreements and memorandums of understanding through regular exchanges and concrete commercial initiatives.

She said Pakistani investors had previously entered into joint ventures in Nepal’s textile, hotel and banking sectors. She identified textiles, leather products and surgical equipment as promising areas for Pakistani businesses, while Nepal could export high-quality tea, coffee, herbs, handicrafts and agricultural products to Pakistan.

Ambassador Dhital also identified tourism and hospitality as major areas for cooperation, inviting Pakistani companies to explore Nepal’s growing tourism industry, including luxury resorts and adventure tourism.

She further invited Pakistani investors to explore opportunities in Nepal’s hydropower and clean energy sectors, describing them as areas offering long-term investment potential.

The Ambassador invited the LCCI leadership and members to lead a trade delegation to Nepal and assured them of the Embassy’s full support in arranging B2B matchmaking. She also offered assistance to Pakistani businesses interested in organising single-country exhibitions in Nepal.

She said approximately 5,000 Pakistanis visited Nepal in 2025, adding that Pakistani citizens are eligible for visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The first 30-day visa in a calendar year is available free of charge.