AIRLINK 169.91 Decreased By ▼ -0.66 (-0.39%)
BOP 11.54 Increased By ▲ 0.36 (3.22%)
CNERGY 8.54 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (1.55%)
CPHL 99.99 Increased By ▲ 0.26 (0.26%)
FCCL 46.30 Decreased By ▼ -0.30 (-0.64%)
FFL 15.43 Increased By ▲ 0.28 (1.85%)
FLYNG 28.00 Increased By ▲ 0.45 (1.63%)
HUBC 142.81 Increased By ▲ 5.03 (3.65%)
HUMNL 12.92 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
KEL 4.55 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.22%)
KOSM 5.30 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-1.12%)
MLCF 62.65 Increased By ▲ 0.25 (0.4%)
OGDC 212.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-0.08%)
PACE 5.40 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.37%)
PAEL 46.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.58 (-1.23%)
PIAHCLA 18.18 Decreased By ▼ -0.30 (-1.62%)
PIBTL 10.90 Increased By ▲ 0.54 (5.21%)
POWER 12.18 Decreased By ▼ -0.15 (-1.22%)
PPL 171.50 Increased By ▲ 1.90 (1.12%)
PRL 35.97 Increased By ▲ 0.12 (0.33%)
PTC 23.10 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.04%)
SEARL 96.84 Increased By ▲ 0.58 (0.6%)
SSGC 41.30 Increased By ▲ 1.78 (4.5%)
SYM 13.94 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (0.72%)
TELE 7.16 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.14%)
TPLP 10.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.3%)
TRG 63.49 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.02%)
WAVESAPP 10.03 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (0.4%)
WTL 1.32 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.76%)
YOUW 3.67 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.27%)
BR100 12,406 Increased By 100.9 (0.82%)
BR30 37,762 Increased By 346.9 (0.93%)
KSE100 115,882 Increased By 1028.4 (0.9%)
KSE30 35,538 Increased By 321 (0.91%)

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb says Pakistan plans to launch Panda Bond by June this year with an aim to enhance country’s presence in China’s capital markets.

In an interview with Hong Kong’s TVB News Channel, the finance minister said through the issuance of the Panda Bond, Pakistan intends to raise approximately two hundred million US dollars from Chinese investors.

The move is expected to be worth around $200 million to $250 million, but “it’s not a question of amount,” the minister said. “What is important is that we do go for an inaugural issue and then, once it’s successful, we can always keep it on tap,” he said.

Country preparing to launch yuan-denominated bonds: Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb said that not using the world’s second-largest capital market until now had “been a miss on our part.” “We are quite keen that during this calendar year, we do,” he added.

Although Pakistan’s sovereign credit ratings have been upgraded since it secured a $7 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund, it has yet to break out of the “CCC” or “Caa” level as assessed by the three major global agencies. This severely constrains its options for financing in the global market.

The finance minister has expressed hope for reaching the “B” rating zone in due course by carrying out reforms in accordance with the IMF’s terms, he stressed the importance of “diversifying” the country’s funding sources. Hong Kong’s stock market is also part of the picture.

The minister said that an equity listing of Service Long March - a Pakistani-Chinese joint venture that makes tires for trucks and buses — in the city is in sight. “These JVs want to do equity (fund) raising, and in the international markets, Hong Kong is a very, very obvious choice for these joint ventures,” he said, eyeing future opportunities for primary and secondary listings by Pakistani companies in Hong Kong.

Pakistan has cultivated close ties with China for decades, exemplified by the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor infrastructure project.

Aurangzeb emphasised that the corridor is a “flagship” of the Belt and Road Initiative, a core economic and geopolitical drive spearheaded by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Asked how the IMF’s conditions might affect planned projects with China - as offering new tax incentives and establishing new economic zones is not allowed - the Pakistani minister brushed off such concerns.

“It’s not really as big a deal as it’s being made” out to be, he said, since there are many existing projects that first need to be implemented. One pressing matter, however, is how to guarantee security, after a series of militant attacks against Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan.

Beijing has repeatedly pressed Islamabad to do more to improve safety. Aurangzeb said his government attaches “the highest attention at the highest level” to the safety issue, not only for Chinese but for all foreign nationals in the country. He added that the situation on the ground “is actually much better than what we see in the news and on various channels.”

Aurangzeb says Pakistan’s government attaches “the highest attention at the highest level” to security for all foreign nationals in the country.

Comments

Comments are closed.

Re=== Jan 20, 2025 07:03am
CPEC is dead. Move on.
thumb_up Recommended (0)