Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh Undertakes Commercial Outreach Visit to New York to Promote Pakistan’s Textile Exports
New York : As part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to deepen economic engagement with the United States, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States accompanied by Mohammad Hanif Channa Minister (Trade & Investment), undertook a three-day visit to New York, focused on promoting textile exports and strengthening linkages between Pakistani exporters and the U.S. market.
During the visit, the Ambassador held a series of productive meetings with a wide range of stakeholders, including the senior leadership of leading Pakistani textile manufacturers — Gul Ahmed, Alkaram Industries, Alkaram Towels, Nishat Mills, and Lucky Textiles, key commercial facilitators such as TEU, Trade Exhibitor USA, GPL LLC, U.S.-based importers, and prominent sourcing agents active in the home textile and apparel sectors.
Discussions focused on practical strategies to enhance Pakistan’s exports to the United States by leveraging the country’s installed industrial capacity, competitive advantage in home textiles, and strong compliance and traceability record. In light of recent global trade realignments and tariff shifts affecting other suppliers, the Ambassador underlined the importance of swiftly converting these emerging opportunities into sustainable commercial outcomes for Pakistan’s textile sector.
Ambassador Sheikh highlighted the proactive commercial diplomacy being undertaken by the Embassy and assured exporters of the full support of Pakistan’s Trade and Commercial Wing in Washington D.C. and the Consulate General in New York.
The Ambassador encouraged exporters to diversify into e-commerce and direct-to-consumer platforms, highlighting the success of pioneering Pakistani ventures in the U.S. digital retail space. Exporters, in turn, briefed the Ambassador on key competitiveness challenges, particularly high energy costs, working capital constraints, and the need for dedicated Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for e-commerce and sustainable manufacturing initiatives.
The visit underscores Pakistan’s strategic focus on boosting value-added exports, building lasting commercial linkages with the United States, and positioning itself as a trusted, long-term partner in global textile supply chains.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
