Pakistan open for business, Aurangzeb tells global investors 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is undergoing a broad economic transformation and is open for serious investment, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told international investors during a high-level meeting in London this week.

Addressing portfolio managers and financial advisors, Aurangzeb said Pakistan was shifting from a consumption-driven model to one focused on productivity, exports, and digital innovation. He stressed that recent fiscal improvements — including a Rs3.6 trillion primary surplus, a current account surplus, and inflation dropping to 0.3 per cent in April — were signs of economic stabilisation. 

The debt-to-GDP ratio has reportedly fallen from 75 to 65 per cent, a change that the minister said has helped regain trust from global lenders and improved the country’s credit outlook. 

The session was attended by representatives from Amundi, one of the world’s largest asset managers, and Lion’s Head Global Partners, a firm focused on emerging markets. The discussions covered Pakistan’s ongoing reforms, its investment potential, and plans for economic resilience. 

Aurangzeb presented upcoming initiatives, such as the rollout of new tax policies aimed at bringing the real estate, retail, and agriculture sectors into the formal economy. He also spoke about fully digitising the Federal Board of Revenue to reduce discretion and tackle corruption. 

He outlined opportunities in minerals, including a copper mining project expected to boost annual exports by $2.8 billion by 2028, and spotlighted the country’s growing digital economy, where Pakistan ranks among the top three in global IT freelancing. 

On the financial front, Aurangzeb discussed plans to issue a Panda bond in China as part of a broader debt management strategy, alongside an upcoming ESG bond targeted for fiscal year 2026. He also touched on reforms in state-owned enterprises and pensions. 

Amundi and Lion’s Head Global Partners both expressed interest in Pakistan’s policy direction and investment instruments, with the latter offering support in improving credit agency engagement and energy sector planning. 

Aurangzeb assured investors that social welfare programmes like BISP would continue and said Pakistan remained committed to its water rights under international treaties. He concluded by encouraging investment in sectors such as renewable energy, IT, minerals, and climate-resilient infrastructure. 

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