Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, delivered a keynote address at Jefferies’ ‘Pakistan Access Day’ interactive conference co-hosted by KTrade Securities in London on Thursday.
The event brought together a distinguished audience comprising top global institutional investors, senior executives from leading international banks, investment firms, and professionals from both the public and private sectors, according to a press release received here today.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Privatization, Muhammad Ali, also attended and addressed the forum, which served as a vital platform to showcase Pakistan’s economic progress and investment outlook to the international business community.
Senator Aurangzeb underscored the government’s firm commitment to macroeconomic reform and structural transformation and its resolve to stay the course in bringing permanence to macroeconomic stability. He stated that the country had made substantial progress toward achieving macroeconomic stability, with key economic indicators now reflecting improved resilience and discipline.
“We have successfully navigated a period of significant external and domestic challenges, and Pakistan today stands on the foundation of restored macroeconomic stability,” the minister noted. “Through bold and far-reaching reforms, we have reinstated fiscal discipline, strengthened our external position, and rebuilt investor confidence.”
He highlighted that Pakistan posted a primary budget surplus of Rs 3.6 trillion during the first half of FY2025, while inflation has seen a remarkable decline—reaching just 0.3% in April 2025, the lowest level recorded in over a decade. These gains, he added, have been acknowledged internationally, with Fitch upgrading Pakistan’s sovereign credit rating from CCC+ to B-, reflecting renewed market confidence.
Looking ahead, Senator Aurangzeb outlined Pakistan’s ambitious economic targets, including 6% annual GDP growth by continuing structural reforms in taxation, energy, SOEs, privatization, pensions, and public finance. Additionally, the government aims to expand exports to USD 50 billion, reduce inflation to 6%, and develop a USD 5 billion ICT freelancing industry.
Moreover, Pakistan aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, raise the share of renewable energy to 10%, and reduce income poverty by 13%, he added.
He emphasized that these goals are embedded within the Government’s comprehensive “5Es Framework”—focusing on Exports, E-Pakistan (IT), Environment & Climate Change, Energy & Infrastructure, and Equity, Ethics, and Empowerment.
The Finance Minister reaffirmed the government’s policy of limiting its role to providing a robust and consistent policy framework, while allowing the private sector to take the lead in driving growth. He pointed to the increasing private sector representation in top policy forums as a testament to this approach.
Further, Senator Aurangzeb detailed ongoing efforts to improve the investment climate in Pakistan. He highlighted the Investment Policy 2023, which offers clear protections and incentives for foreign investors, and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which serves as a streamlined “one-window” platform for expediting investment processes.
“We are committed to making Pakistan’s investment ecosystem more transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly,” he said. “Over 160 regulatory reforms have already been implemented under the Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative (PRMI), and we are launching the Pakistan Business Portal to simplify business registration and approvals through digital integration.”
Additionally, he noted that Pakistan’s reformed visa regime now allows for 24-hour e-visas for citizens of 126 countries—further facilitating international business engagement.
Addressing the gathering, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Privatization Muhammad Ali presented a detailed overview of the privatization roadmap for state-owned entities (SOEs). He emphasized the transparency and competitiveness of the ongoing processes and highlighted the significant investment opportunities with attractive returns available across various sectors of the Pakistani economy.
Ali reaffirmed that the government’s privatization drive is focused on ensuring efficient service delivery and unlocking value for the public while creating a favorable environment for private capital.
The conference concluded with renewed optimism and expressions of interest from international stakeholders, affirming Pakistan’s strategic relevance and potential in the global economic landscape.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb also called on Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Standard Chartered Bank Bill Winters, in London. The meeting underscored the strong and enduring partnership between the government of Pakistan and Standard Chartered Bank in advancing Pakistan’s economic development agenda.
The minister expressed his deep appreciation for the longstanding and vital support provided by Standard Chartered Bank to Pakistan’s macroeconomic reform efforts. He acknowledged the Bank’s instrumental role in facilitating sustainable economic development and its continued engagement with key financial initiatives in the country.
Aurangzeb also reviewed the current pipeline of financial support and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ongoing reform measures aimed at ensuring macroeconomic stability and fostering inclusive growth.
He lauded Standard Chartered’s confidence in Pakistan’s economic trajectory and its contributions to critical sectors of the economy.
Bill Winters commended the progress being made by Pakistan on macroeconomic reforms and the recent signs of stabilization within the economy.
He reiterated Standard Chartered Bank’s support for Pakistan’s financial and economic initiatives, emphasizing the Bank’s long-term commitment to the country’s development goals.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides reaffirming their intention to further strengthen collaboration and support shared objectives for Pakistan’s economic prosperity.
