Latest news with #PakistanInvestorsDay
Business Recorder
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Aurangzeb in UK to woo investors
EDITORIAL: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Muhammad Ali appointed as Advisor to the Prime Minister on Privatisation/Chairman Privatisation Commission with the status of Minister of State on 27 February 2025 are currently on a two-day visit to London to participate in Pakistan Investors Day on 8 May (yesterday). It is relevant to note that the Pakistan army was on high alert since the Pahalgam incident on 22 April this year based on the certitude that Modi's India would attack to deflect criticism for not having the intelligence to forestall the attack. Given that both Aurangzeb and Ali are widely regarded as providing a critical plinth in the existing cordial civilian-military ties, Ali's statement prior to departure, with the Indian attacks on nine sites just hours away - two in Punjab and the rest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir – is baffling: 'this visit reflects Pakistan's forward looking vision. We are here to build trust, forge partnerships, and demonstrate that Pakistan is open for business – with a clear agenda for growth, stability and opportunity.' The Indo-UK free trade agreement reached a day before the attack, three years in the making, nonetheless took a distant second place to the Indian attack on Pakistan. The Pakistan Investors Day conference on the other hand, where the focus would be on luring foreign investors to Pakistan, the response is unlikely to be positive or at least not till war has ended. The presence of these two men was required in Pakistan today as an expression of solidarity with the nation in the aftermath of the Indian attack. In addition, the budget exercise is ongoing at present, with credible reports that the International Monetary Fund team is reviewing and dictating expenditure cuts, setting unrealistic revenue targets and upping the administered electricity and gas prices with the objective of achieving full cost recovery, and this is the time when one would have hoped for the Finance Minister's physical presence in the country that would have facilitated his interaction with all sectors. Ali would have been well advised to focus on the privatisation plan particularly of Pakistan International Airlines as he has publicly deferred its privatisation to the last quarter of the current calendar year though the team negotiating with the Fund had pledged it much sooner. Foreign direct investment has been a proactive strategy since June 2023; however, the actual annual foreign direct investment inflow has yet to exceed 1.6 billion dollars according to government data. And while Aurangzeb and Ali are not elected by the people and as such are not technically representatives of the people of this country yet they are appointed at the taxpayers' expense with the objective of serving the people and their absence from the country today does raise uncomfortable questions. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Investment drive launched in UK
ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Ali, adviser to the prime minister on privatisation, and the Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb have launched a strategic investment drive in the United Kingdom. In a bold move to accelerate foreign direct investment and elevate Pakistan's global economic profile, Muhammad Ali, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation, has reached London for a two-day high-level engagement with international financial leaders. Accompanied by the finance minister, the visit marks a strategic push to deepen Pakistan's ties with top-tier global investors and financial institutions. Over the course of the visit, the delegation will hold crucial meetings with executives from renowned firms including TTB Partners, STJ Partners, Deutsche Bank, Berenberg Bank, and Amundi Fund Group. These discussions aim to spotlight Pakistan's privatisation roadmap and its growing potential as a hub for strategic, long-term investment. A centrepiece of the visit will be Muhammad Ali's participation in Pakistan Investors Day, hosted by Jefferies on May 8, 2025. This exclusive event offers a powerful platform to showcase Pakistan's robust investment landscape, ongoing economic reforms, and the government's unwavering commitment to transparency and investor confidence. 'This visit reflects Pakistan's forward-looking vision,' said the adviser, 'We are here to build trust, forge partnerships, and demonstrate that Pakistan is open for business—with a clear agenda for growth, stability, and opportunity.' With an ambitious reform agenda and a firm focus on private sector-led development, Pakistan is positioning itself as a compelling destination for global capital. The London mission represents a pivotal step in unlocking new investment channels and driving sustainable economic progress. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan launches strategic investment drive in UK to attract global capital
In a renewed push to attract foreign direct investment and strengthen Pakistan's global economic standing, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali have arrived in London for a two-day visit aimed at engaging top international financial institutions. The high-level delegation is scheduled to meet executives from major global firms including TTB Partners, STJ Partners, Deutsche Bank, Berenberg Bank, and Amundi Fund Group, the ministry of privatisation said in a statement. The meetings will focus on presenting Pakistan's privatisation roadmap and exploring long-term strategic investment opportunities in key sectors. The visit is being seen as part of the government's broader effort to deepen economic ties with leading investors and promote private sector-led development. UK govt official urges Pakistani firms to use their country as platform to go global A major highlight of the trip will be Muhammad Ali's participation in Pakistan Investors Day, hosted by Jefferies on May 8, 2025. The exclusive event will serve as a platform to showcase Pakistan's economic potential, ongoing reforms, and commitment to creating a transparent and investor-friendly environment. 'This visit reflects Pakistan's forward-looking vision,' said Muhammad Ali. 'We are here to build trust, forge partnerships, and demonstrate that Pakistan is open for business, with a clear agenda for growth, stability, and opportunity.' Investment from UK 'AI, HealthTech, FinTech sectors have great potential' The initiative comes amid the government's continued efforts to implement structural reforms and improve macroeconomic fundamentals. By opening up key sectors to foreign investment, the government hopes to accelerate growth and create new avenues for job creation and innovation.
