Washington/Islamabad: Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC hosted a high-profile economic dialogue on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, bringing together Pakistan’s economic leadership, global financial institutions, and US corporate representatives.
The event spotlighted Pakistan’s impressive economic recovery and its potential as a global investment destination. In his keynote address, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb underscored the critical role of the private sector in driving Pakistan’s economic future.
He emphasized that the government’s role was to provide the necessary policy frameworks and ensure continuity, likening this shift to a transformative societal change, similar to the impact of artificial intelligence.
The Minister also addressed questions on business ease, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ongoing reforms.
He highlighted population growth and climate change as existential challenges and called for private-sector collaboration on viable projects, leveraging technical expertise and available financing.
Referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision, he stressed the government’s role as a facilitator for investors, running the country as “Pakistan Inc.”
Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, in his welcome remarks, spotlighted Pakistan’s geostrategic importance as a market of 250 million people, positioned as a gateway to Central Asia, China, the GCC, and Afro-Asian regions.
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He showcased the country’s economic performance, noted by IMF-World Bank forums, and emphasized Pakistan’s strengths in the IT and mineral sectors, announcing plans for ongoing events to strengthen US-Pakistan business ties.
Corporate leaders at the event shared their perspectives on Pakistan’s growing investment appeal:
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Amir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, highlighted the country’s economic stabilization over the past 15 months and Jazz’s transformation into a leading digital services platform.
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Christos Harpantidis, Vice President External Affairs at Philip Morris, shared the company’s $800 million investment and plans for further expansion, attributing the decision to economic stability and exchange rate predictability.
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Husnain Aslam, CEO of TRG, endorsed the Prime Minister’s target of scaling IT exports from $3 billion to $25–30 billion, citing Pakistan’s young talent pool and telecom infrastructure.
World Bank Vice President Martin Raiser praised Pakistan’s reforms in fiscal, energy, and exchange rate management, and reaffirmed the bank’s support through a 10-year, $40 billion partnership framework.
Bahadur Bijani, Executive Director at the IMF, commended Pakistan’s policy consistency, record-low inflation, and currency stabilization, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding these gains.
Charles Freeman, Senior Vice President for Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, announced a U.S. delegation’s upcoming visit to Pakistan—the first in seven years—highlighting Pakistan’s renewed stability and transparency.
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The Finance Minister concluded the event with a session addressing queries from corporate leaders on Pakistan’s investment potential.
