Those attending the event included Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Mian Abuzar Shaid, and representatives of diplomatic missions in Lahore.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan congratulated Fareed, a respected entrepreneur in Lahore with great affection for Vietnam, on his appointment as Honorary Consul. He stressed that this is Vietnam’s first honorary consul in Pakistan, marking a new step in expanding the country’s diplomatic network in Pakistan to help strengthen political, economic, cultural, and people-to-people cooperation between the two countries.

The ambassador expressed confidence that Rizwan Fareed’s credibility, capability, and enthusiasm would serve as an effective extension of the embassy in promoting trade and investment, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and supporting Vietnamese citizens in the area.

At the ceremony, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan welcomed the appointment and highlighted Pakistan as an attractive investment destination, noting that the current government is creating favorable conditions and incentives to draw foreign capital. He also hailed Vietnam’s remarkable economic achievements in recent years. He called on Pakistani businesses to  enhance cooperation and trade with Vietnamese partners for mutual benefit.

For his part, Honorary Consul Rizwan Fareed expressed profound gratitude to the Government and people of Vietnam for entrusting him with this honorable responsibility. He pledged to make full use of his opportunities, experience, and connections to advance Vietnam–Pakistan relations in economy, trade, culture, and citizen support, thereby contributing to nurturing and deepening the close friendship between the two nations.

The ceremony concluded with a cake-cutting and photo session, opening a promising new chapter for diplomatic cooperation and economic development between Vietnam and Pakistan.

On the same day, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan attended the inauguration of the Honorary Consulate Office of Vietnam in Lahore, Pakistan’s dynamic economic hub. The new office will undertake important functions such as assisting Vietnamese citizens in need, boosting trade and tourism, and facilitating cultural and educational exchanges. The establishment of the honorary consulate shows a global trend of expanding consular representation to strengthen coverage, contributing to bilateral economic growth and people-to-people friendship.      

During his working trip to Lahore, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan also met with leaders the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), one of Pakistan’s largest and most active chambers of commerce.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad proposed a vision of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$5 billion by expanding market access and leveraging Vietnam’s strategic position within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Pakistan primarily exports corn, cotton, leather, and yarn, while Vietnam exports electronics, synthetic fibers, natural rubber, and tea. Shad called for diversification into seafood, processed meat, pharmaceuticals, fruits and vegetables, while also tapping into information technology and tourism.

At the event, Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan announced that Vietnam and Pakistan are preparing to negotiate a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), thus establishing a new legal framework for bilateral economic cooperation with the goal of moving toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the future, thereby contributing to sustainable and effective economic and trade ties between the two countries.

Vietnam places importance on cooperation with Pakistan: PM

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the friendship and cooperation with Pakistan, at a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the 8th Future Investment Initiative (FII) Summit in Saudi Arabia on October 30.