ISLAMABAD — Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to an inclusive and consultative policy framework during a meeting with the outgoing and incoming leadership of the Pakistan Business Council (PBC), held at the Finance Division.
The meeting marked the formal leadership transition at the PBC, with outgoing CEO Ehsan Malik introducing his successor, Javed Kureishi. The minister welcomed the new leadership and pledged continued government support for effective engagement with the business community.
Aurangzeb praised the PBC’s longstanding role in contributing to economic policymaking through policy input, data-backed research, and extensive sectoral analysis. “We value the perspectives of the business and industrial community, and we are committed to maintaining structured and sustained dialogue,” he stated.
He also highlighted recent institutional reforms, noting that the Tax Policy Office had been moved from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to the Finance Division to help establish a more independent and strategic approach to tax policy formulation. This shift, he said, would further enhance cooperation with research-based forums such as the PBC.
The minister underscored that this year’s federal budget preparation process began earlier than usual to allow more time for engagement and the incorporation of feedback from chambers of commerce, industry associations, and trade bodies.
The meeting reinforced the government’s intent to ground economic planning in evidence-based policymaking and foster a business environment shaped through consensus and transparency.
