Bilateral Industry Pact Positions Pakistan for Greater Global Market Access

Farzana Chaudhry | Lahore, Pakistan

LAHORE — Pakistan’s export-driven textile sector has secured a significant boost with the signing of a new bilateral cooperation agreement between leading Pakistani industry representatives and the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (ABIT). The pact is expected to expand trade opportunities, diversify raw-material sourcing, and strengthen climate-aligned industrial growth at a time when global supply chains are rapidly evolving.

The agreement was formalized at the NCI Pavilion in the Blue Zone of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where Dr Ayyaz Uddin, a key representative of Pakistan’s apparel and export sector, and Fernando V. Pimentel, CEO of ABIT, signed the cooperation framework. Taking place on a global climate platform, the pact reflects the increasing convergence between environmental commitments and market competitiveness for textile-producing countries.

For Pakistan—one of the world’s leading textile and apparel exporters—the partnership brings strategic advantages. Foremost among these is the potential to source high-quality Brazilian cotton, valued for its reliability and sustainable production standards. The move supports Pakistan’s need to diversify supply chains as global buyers demand greater traceability and climate-conscious sourcing, and as local mills face domestic crop fluctuations.

In a joint statement, PRGMEA former chairman Ijaz Khokhar and North Zone chairman Dr Ayyaz Uddin said the collaboration is set to deepen Pakistan–Brazil economic ties through sustainable cotton sourcing, responsible production, innovation partnerships, and enhanced participation in international apparel markets. They noted that such alliances are increasingly vital for Pakistan’s textile industry, which contributes the largest share to national exports and must rapidly adapt to global climate and compliance requirements.

They added that the understanding opens new avenues for business-to-business exchanges, fashion and design collaboration, and frequent industry delegation visits. Pakistan plans to host a Brazilian textile delegation—along with other International Apparel Federation (IAF) member associations—at TEXPO 2026, turning the event into a hub for deeper sectoral integration, new trade linkages, and technological innovation.

Highlighting the export-sector implications, they stressed that sustainability has become a core requirement for maintaining global market share. With buyers increasingly adopting climate-linked compliance systems, Pakistan’s textile industry is moving toward decarbonization through renewable energy, biodiesel and biochar use, virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs), circularity initiatives, and new green-financing mechanisms. The collaboration with ABIT, they said, reinforces Pakistan’s efforts to develop a unified national climate narrative connecting industry, government, and academia.

The MoU outlines long-term cooperation in several areas, including sustainable Brazilian cotton sourcing, expansion of Pakistan’s apparel exports to Brazil and beyond, advancement of circular and climate-aligned industrial practices, and knowledge-sharing across IAF platforms. Its signing during COP30 underscores how trade alliances are increasingly shaped by global climate transitions and sustainability-driven reforms.

As Pakistan’s apparel sector continues its engagements at COP30 as an Observer Organization, the Pakistan–Brazil textile pact stands out as a forward-looking model of South–South economic cooperation—blending trade, climate responsibility, technology integration, and capacity building. For Pakistan’s wider export ecosystem, the agreement signals new market connectivity, strategic diversification, and a stronger pathway toward climate-resilient long-term growth.