Yesterday, I attended an interesting session at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), where German Ambassador H.E. Ina Lepel was invited as the guest speaker to discuss business opportunities with Germany.
By Imran Malik | National Desk | MediaBites.com.pk
I attended the event on the invitation of Amer Salam, Member Corporate Relationship Committee, LCCI, whose kind invitation gave me the opportunity to witness an engaging and insightful discussion on Pakistan-Germany business relations.
It was one of those typical hot Lahore afternoons. I left home around 2:45 pm, so I could arrive on time because, after all, Germans are famous for punctuality. The invitation clearly mentioned 3:30 pm, and I thought arriving late to a German-related event would almost be a crime.
But the real surprise came when I reached the LCCI building. The heavy security made me wonder if a head of state was visiting. For a moment, I thought, “Wow, Germany really takes security seriously!” Later, I discovered that all the security arrangements were actually for the NAB Chairman, who had just finished another session in the same hall before the Ambassador’s program.
As soon as the NAB session ended, there was a quick reshuffling, and Ambassador Ina Lepel was brought into the same hall almost immediately. The room, unfortunately, had not yet recovered from Lahore’s summer mood and was not as chilled as one would hope for such a diplomatic gathering.
The LCCI president and his team looked slightly exhausted too, understandably, after hosting a long session with the NAB Chairman just minutes earlier. Still, things moved smoothly. Interestingly, despite the German reputation for time discipline, the event itself started around 3:45 pm.
After the national anthems of Pakistan and Germany, a crisp and impressive documentary about trade and business opportunities was presented for the Ambassador and guests.
According to the official invitation, the session aimed to discuss matters of mutual interest between Pakistan and Germany, including bilateral trade and investment, industrial cooperation, technology transfer, export promotion, and prospects for stronger economic collaboration.
Ambassador Ina Lepel appeared relaxed, friendly, and quite positive about Pakistan. Having previously served at the German Embassy in Pakistan during 2010-2015, she was uniquely positioned to compare the two eras. She noted visible improvements since her earlier posting — particularly reduced loadshedding, better road infrastructure, and stronger female participation in business circles.
Her observations reflected how much Lahore and Pakistan have evolved over the years, even though several structural challenges still remain.
Of course, no Pakistani business discussion is complete without mentioning taxation, transparency, and legal complications. The Ambassador acknowledged these as key concerns but also spoke of renewed German interest in Pakistan amid changing geopolitical realities and improving economic signals.
She stressed that German companies are interested in Pakistan but also highlighted the importance of avoiding “unilateral dependency.” Her comments reflected cautious optimism rather than overexcitement.
One interesting point was about technical and vocational training programs supported by Germany in Pakistan. She mentioned ongoing educational cooperation, aid programs worth millions of euros, and opportunities for higher education. However, she frankly admitted that the German language remains a major barrier for Pakistani workers hoping to work in Germany.
And honestly, she wasn’t wrong.
At one point, when someone suggested starting German language diploma programs, Ambassador Lepel politely but firmly clarified that Germany alone could not build Pakistan’s vocational institutes. “Pakistan has to build institutes on its own,” she remarked with diplomatic honesty.
There were also practical business questions from chamber members. One businessman asked why German companies are far more rigid about payment flexibility than Chinese businesses. The Ambassador smiled and replied that flexibility comes after systems and issues are properly resolved first — a very German answer indeed.
Another interesting exchange came when questions were raised about transparency rankings and Pakistan’s business image. The Ambassador carefully avoided controversial territory, especially regarding GSP+ and human rights discussions, choosing her words very diplomatically.
One thing I noticed during the Q&A session was that members who wanted to ask questions were encouraged to keep them short, crisp, and to the point so others could also benefit from the discussion. Honestly, that made complete sense. Appreciation for Germany and the German people is always welcome, but lengthy introductions and personal stories can sometimes take away valuable time from more meaningful questions.
A few members asked sharp and effective questions, especially regarding trade flexibility, vocational training, and business cooperation. Those concise questions made the session far more engaging and useful for everyone present. Sawalaat zyada hon, crisp hon, lekin moassar hon.
At the conclusion of the event, LCCI President Faheem Rehman Saigol, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, and executive committee members warmly thanked Ambassador Ina Lepel for her visit and insightful discussion. The President and Vice President presented her with a commemorative Yadgari shield as a gesture of appreciation.
And then came the classic Pakistani ending — a hurried group photo session.
In the rush, many people were sadly left out of the frame, including yours truly. By the time I properly moved toward the stage area, the “official” photo had already happened. Perhaps the Germans were still trying to maintain punctuality after all.
Overall, the event felt less like a dramatic breakthrough and more like a realistic conversation between potential partners — polite, practical, and occasionally humorous. Germany clearly sees potential in Pakistan, but also expects Pakistan to first fix many of its own structural problems.
And perhaps the biggest lesson from the afternoon?
Even at a German business session in Lahore, programs can still start 15 minutes late.
** The writer is a digital journalist and newsroom leader with 10+ years of national and international news experience. Head of Content, Southera | Editor-in-Chief, MediaBites Pakistan | Founder, SharjahNews UAE & UrduExpress Pakistan | Former Editor, News and News USA
