Pakistan moving towards trade and investment, says Finance Minister Aurangzeb 

Islamabad (Web Desk): Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said Pakistan is gradually shifting its economic focus from dependence on aid to promoting trade and investment, with the government seeking to strengthen business ties with bilateral partners, draw more private investment and expand the country’s participation in regional and international markets.

He made these remarks while addressing the 9th edition of the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit 2026, held under the theme “The Next Move,” through a video link on Thursday.

The finance minister pointed to Pakistan’s recent re-entry into the international capital markets, noting that the country issued international bonds worth $3 billion after a gap of four years.

Aurangzeb said that demand from investors was almost twice the amount Pakistan had offered, while investors from Asia showed particularly strong interest in the issuance

He said the strength of the response could not be measured only by the size of the order book, stressing that the broad-based and diverse nature of the investor pool was equally significant.

The finance minister added that increased participation from Asian investors was an encouraging indication of growing international confidence in Pakistan.

Aurangzeb further said Pakistan’s economy expanded by approximately 3.7 percent during the previous fiscal year, while economic activity has continued to show positive signs in the ongoing financial year.

He also referred to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) growth projection, which places GDP expansion between 3.5 and 4.5 percent for the current fiscal year.

Discussing future prospects, the finance minister stressed the need for Pakistan to prepare itself for the emerging “New Economy,” particularly by exploring opportunities linked to digital transformation, blockchain and Web 3.0.

He said the country could leverage its young workforce and growing pool of technology-oriented talent by creating policies and an investment climate capable of supporting participation in higher-value areas of the global economy.

Aurangzeb also underlined the importance of making macroeconomic stability a lasting feature of Pakistan’s economy.

The finance minister said that maintaining strong fiscal and external buffers would be essential to withstand both domestic challenges and pressures arising from the international environment.

He added that the government would continue working to preserve the economic improvements already achieved while pursuing structural reforms aimed at raising productivity, improving competitiveness and encouraging growth driven by the private sector.