Zardari in Germany from 22 to 24 October, first visit by a Pakistani head of state in 23 years

President Asif Ali Zardari left for Berlin on Thursday 22 October for a three-day visit to Germany, the first by a Pakistani head of state in 23 years, the President's House said, as Geo News reported. He is visiting from 22 to 24 October at the invitation of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Foreign Office said, according to The Express Tribune.

What is on the agenda

The president will meet Steinmeier, senior German leaders and business leaders, the Foreign Office said, "with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation". The visit falls in the year Pakistan and Germany mark 75 years of diplomatic relations, which were established in 1951.

No agreements or deals have been announced in advance.

Why Germany matters to Pakistan

• Trade: Germany is Pakistan's largest trading partner in the European Union, The Express Tribune noted. Textiles, engineering, pharmaceuticals and IT have been named as areas for closer business ties.
• Aid: in May the two countries signed a €40.5 million technical cooperation agreement covering nine development projects, with support from Germany's development bank KfW, on climate change, the energy transition and social protection. At today's euro rate of about Rs 311, that is roughly Rs 12.6 billion.
• History: Germany's consul general in Karachi said in August that business links go back to 1922, when Siemens opened its first office in Lahore.

What it could mean for you

For exporters, the timing matters. Pakistan's current GSP+ arrangement, which gives its goods duty-free or low-duty access to the EU, expires in December 2026; Pakistan will apply for the new scheme after the new EU rules take effect on 1 January 2027, with the existing terms continuing during a grace period to 31 December 2028, Geo News reported from The News. As the EU's largest economy, Germany's view carries weight in Brussels.

If you are pricing study, work or a business deal in Germany, convert costs at today's rate with our currency converter.

We will update this story with any agreements signed in Berlin.