Pakistan-Sweden Relations

Pakistan and Sweden enjoy longstanding and cordial relations. Sweden was the first Scandinavian country to establish diplomatic relations with Pakistan in 1949. On 25 October 2024, both countries celebrated the 75^th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations. The Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Sweden exchanged letters of goodwill and reiterated the mutual desire to further strengthen the bilateral ties.

2. Over the years, the two sides have developed multifaceted and fruitful cooperation especially in trade, economy, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges. There is a mechanism of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries which allows regular review of the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
3. Sweden supported Pakistan in the form of relief and reconstruction after the devastating floods of 2022 and donated Covid-19 vaccines through WHO’s COVAX. Swedish humanitarian assistance continues through various UN and International NGOs for relief operations in flood affected regions.

High Level Engagements

4. Following is the list of high-level exchanges between the two countries:

• Former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar participated in the Annual Meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) being held in Stockholm from 7-8 June 2023.
• Former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar attended the EU Indo Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm on 13 May 2023.
• A three-member delegation led by the Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman visited Stockholm from 31st May to 3rd June 2022, for participation in the conference “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity”.
• Former Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi met Former Foreign Minister of Sweden, Ms. Ann Linde, in New York on the sidelines of 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021 and held a telephonic conversation with her in August 2021.
• Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met Mr. Stefan Löfven, the Prime Minister of Sweden on the side-lines of the 70th Session of UNGA in New York in September 2015 and in Davos on the side-lines of World Economic Forum in January 2017.
• Former President Pervez Musharraf visited Sweden in 2004.
• Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto paid a three-day official visit in May 1996.
• Former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited Sweden in 1976.

Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC)

5. Eighteen rounds of Bilateral Political Consultations between Pakistan and Sweden have been held since 1992. The 18^th session of Pakistan-Sweden Bilateral Political Consultations was held in Islamabad in June 2024. The next round of Pakistan-Sweden Bilateral Political Consultations would be held in Stockholm.

Economic Relations

6. Total trade between Pakistan and Sweden touched US$ 288.8 Million in FY (2023-2024). Pakistan’s exports to Sweden amounted to US$ 149.4 Million and its imports from Sweden stood at US$ 129.4 Million.

 

Pakistan Sweden Bilateral Goods Trade (Values in USD Million)
	2022-23	2023-24	% Change
Pak Exports	151.5	149.4	-1%
Pak Imports	209.2	129.4	-38%
Total Trade	360.7	278.8	-23%
Trade Balance	-57.6	20.0	(135%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. The main items of our exports were bed-wear, ready-made garments, sports goods, knitwear (hosiery), cotton fabrics, apparel & clothing of leather, made-up articles of textiles (silk/synthetic), sports goods, carpets & floor covering, rice and mangoes. Major imports from Sweden were electrical and optical equipment, machinery, paper and pulp, chemicals, basic metals; industrial goods, chemicals, machinery, agricultural products, minerals (non-ferrous metals), telecommunication apparatus.
8. Around 40 Swedish companies are represented in the Pakistani market including ABB, Atlas Copco, Alfa Laval, Equinox, Ericsson, Panasian Group, SAAB, VPL, Oriflame, Profarm, SKF, Tetrapack, Wah Nobel, Bulleh Shah, Ecolean, Ikea, Lindex, Pulse, H&M, AstraZeneca, Haldex, Skanska etc.

Visit of Leading IT Companies to Stockholm

9. There is scope of enhanced collaboration in I.T sector. A delegation comprising of representatives of 25 leading Companies from the IT sector visited Stockholm from 9 to 10 March 2023. The delegation included IT companies from various domains, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Fintech, Metaverse etc.

Pakistani Community in Sweden

10. There is around 40000 strong Pakistani diasporain Sweden which provide a strong link between the two countries. A number of Pakistanis are working in Swedish multinational companies, healthcare sector and in academia. The community is largely located in Gothenburg, Malmo and Stockholm. Since 2002, both the countries allow dual nationality.

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