Pakistan, Croatia agree to expand cooperation in trade, IT and tourism

ISLAMABAD: Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Dr. Gordan Grlic Radman called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Thursday during a one-day official visit to Pakistan, as both countries pledged to deepen cooperation across a range of sectors, the Prime Minister's Office said.

Welcoming the Croatian minister and his delegation, the PM said Pakistan and Croatia enjoyed "friendly relations marked by cordiality, mutual respect and shared interest," according to the statement.

He said Pakistan sought to "further strengthen bilateral cooperation" through enhanced trade and investment, information technology, connectivity, agriculture, tourism and skilled manpower.

The prime minister also conveyed his "warm regards and good wishes" to Croatian President Zoran Milanovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, while extending "a cordial invitation" to both leaders to undertake official visits to Pakistan, the statement said.

Radman thanked the prime minister for the warm welcome and said he was "honored to visit Islamabad." He also congratulated Pakistan and its leadership on playing a prominent role in regional peace efforts and expressed his government's desire to "enhance Pakistan-Croatia ties in all areas of mutual interest."

Pakistan, Croatia deepen economic and diplomatic ties

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Croatian foreign minister addressed reporters at a joint press conference Thursday, where they detailed agreements spanning labor mobility to defense cooperation. They also outlined initiatives that reflect the growing convergence between Islamabad and Zagreb on regional and global issues.

 Pakistan’s deputy prime minister outlined the country's diplomatic efforts and economic priorities for the coming months as the two nations work to deepen bilateral ties.

Central to the discussions was Pakistan's effort to rejoin the European Union's Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus framework ahead of new regulations set to take effect in January 2027.

The GSP+ program provides developing countries with reduced tariffs on exports to European Union markets, a crucial economic lever for countries seeking to boost manufacturing and trade revenue.

"Pakistan is preparing to rejoin the European Union's Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus framework," Dar said during the joint press conference. The program's revised regulations will govern eligibility and compliance requirements starting in January 2027.

Pakistan previously held GSP+ status, which exempted thousands of Pakistani exports from EU tariffs. The loss of the designation significantly impacted sectors such as textiles, footwear, leather goods, and agricultural products.

FM Dar briefed the Croatian delegation on Pakistan's diplomatic initiatives on the global stage, including its role at the UN Security Council and efforts to strengthen multilateralism.

He outlined the ongoing situation in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, “which remains one of the longstanding unresolved international disputes.” The deputy prime minister also brought up the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He talked about India’s unilateral decision to withdraw from the Indus Waters Treaty and how “a dynamic has been added by India to an already volatile security situation by announcing that it would hold the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance after and during the India-Pakistan war in May 2025.

"We would like to seek the support of our friendly country towards India’s immediate restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty, ending the weaponization of water and upholding the treaty obligations,” he stated.

He also urged the United States and Iran to deescalate, following the exchange of strikes between the two nations.

“I apprised the delegation of our diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue, de-escalation and peaceful settlement in the recent US-Iran conflict, which culminated in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides” on June 18.

Both nations agreed to hold Bilateral Political Consultations later this year or in early 2027 to deepen diplomatic coordination. The consultations will address trade, investment, labor mobility, and other areas of mutual interest ahead of the GSP+ regulations taking effect.

Croatia joined the European Union in 2013 and maintains influence over trade policy discussions within the bloc. Grlić Radman identified pharmaceuticals, healthcare, defense, and food production as sectors with significant potential for collaboration between the two nations.

Dar said Pakistan and Croatia will hold a business-to-business trade forum to connect their private sectors and explore investment opportunities. He invited Croatian companies to review Pakistan's investment policies and consider expanding into the South Asian market.

Both countries also discussed legal pathways for skilled Pakistani workers seeking employment in the EU while combating human smuggling and irregular migration.

First visit by a Croatian foreign minister to Pakistan

The Croatian FM is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to the Foreign Office.

In a post on X, the Foreign Office said that Radman was received at the airport by the Director General, Europe-I, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). 

According to the MoFA, the visit marks the first-ever official visit by a Croatian foreign minister to Pakistan, reflecting the two countries' efforts to expand bilateral engagement.

Pakistan and Croatia established diplomatic relations in 1994 and have maintained cordial ties, with recent official engagements focused on broadening cooperation in trade, investment, defense, energy, education, maritime affairs, information technology and people-to-people exchanges. While political relations have remained friendly, both governments have increasingly emphasized expanding economic collaboration and institutional dialogue to unlock the partnership's untapped potential.