Pakistan, UK step up financial cooperation to boost investment and capital market access

Pakistan and the United Kingdom are looking to deepen financial cooperation, with Islamabad seeking to tap London's global financial ecosystem to attract investment and expand its presence in international capital markets.

The roadmap was discussed during a meeting on Thursday between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistan's newly appointed High Commissioner to the UK, Tipu Usman, according to an official statement.

The discussions covered a broad economic agenda, including trade, investment, banking, financial services, remittances and capital markets, with particular emphasis on strengthening Pakistan's engagement with international investors and financial institutions.

Aurangzeb said the government was pursuing a strategy to diversify its financing base, improve access to global capital markets and further strengthen Pakistan's financial framework as part of wider economic reforms.

The meeting also explored cooperation in debt management and capital market development, including continued coordination with the United Kingdom Debt Management Office. Usman briefed the finance minister on opportunities to engage institutional investors and arrange investment roadshows with leading financial institutions to showcase Pakistan's investment potential.

Separately, both sides reviewed emerging trends in digital finance, discussing blockchain applications, virtual assets and tokenisation as potential components of Pakistan's broader digital transformation strategy.

Aurangzeb also highlighted the economic contribution of the Pakistani diaspora in Britain, noting its role in supporting remittance inflows, investment activity, commercial links and the Roshan Digital Account initiative.

Reaffirming the government's economic priorities, the finance minister said Pakistan remained committed to macroeconomic stability, fiscal consolidation, improving the ease of doing business and creating conditions conducive to private sector-led investment and growth. Both sides agreed to maintain close engagement to advance economic and financial cooperation between the two countries.