Global investors respond positively to Pakistan's economic reforms
The response came during Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb's strategic meeting with a group of leading global investors in London, including Oliver Williams, Emerging Markets Fixed Income Portfolio Manager at Amundi, and Maud Le Moine of Lion's Head Global Partners, to discuss Pakistan's economic outlook, reform agenda, and future investment prospects, read a statement released by the Finance Division on Friday
During the meeting, Aurangzeb said that Pakistan is not just reforming, it is transforming, and 'it is open for business and for investors seeking impact, scale, and certainty- Pakistan offers all three.'
The finance minister briefed attendees on Pakistan's plan to issue a Panda bond as part of its active debt management strategy, and on future steps under the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS).
Aurangzeb meets CEO of Standard Chartered Bank
Discussions included the restructuring of state-owned enterprises (Wave 5), ongoing pension reforms, and the preparation for ESG bond issuance in FY2026.
As per the statement issued by the Finance Division, Amundi, one of the world's top 10 asset managers with over €2 trillion in assets under management, reaffirmed its interest in Pakistan's sovereign instruments and ESG-aligned investments, read the statement.
Oliver Williams also expressed a strong interest in the country's upcoming bond issuance plans.
Meanwhile, Maud Le Moine of Lion's Head Global Partners — a firm specialising in emerging market advisory — offered targeted technical support to help Pakistan strengthen its investor communications, enhance credit rating engagement, and implement energy sector modelling.
Lion's Head also reaffirmed its interest in supporting Pakistan's MTDS. The finance ministry acknowledged the offer and reiterated that any advisory engagement would adhere to public procurement processes, read the statement.
On the issue of Pakistan's water treaty policies, Aurangzeb reaffirmed that the suspension of sovereign water rights is not acceptable. He also reiterated the government's commitment to inclusive growth, noting that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will continue in the upcoming budget.
During the meeting, Aurangzeb provided a comprehensive overview of Pakistan's macroeconomic recovery, citing key achievements including a primary budget surplus of Rs3.6 trillion, a current account surplus, inflation reduced to 0.3% (April 2025), and a drop in the debt-to-GDP ratio from 75% to 65%.
'These indicators have not only stabilised the economy but have also led to improved sovereign credit ratings and renewed confidence from multilateral and bilateral partners,' the finance minister said.
During the discussion, Aurangzeb emphasised that Pakistan is firmly staying the course on reforms, aiming to transition from a consumption-led to a sustainable, export- and productivity-led growth model.
He highlighted that new tax reforms aimed at bringing real estate, wholesale, retail, and agriculture sectors into the formal net, while ensuring end-to-end digitalisation of the tax authority to minimise human discretion and reduce corruption.
Aurangzeb outlined the government's ambitious sectoral diversification strategy, citing the upcoming minerals conference and the landmark copper agreement expected to contribute $2.8 billion annually to exports by 2028.
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