Shehbaz orders roadmap for private equity fund to spur SMEs, foreign investment

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the authorities to swiftly prepare a roadmap for establishing a Private Equity Fund to boost investment in the country, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and drive sustainable economic growth.

Chairing a meeting on promoting private investment and long-term economic development, the prime minister instructed officials to submit a comprehensive roadmap for developing both the public equity market and the private equity fund, saying the initiative would improve access to investment capital and pave the way for greater foreign investment.

Shehbaz said private investment was essential for Pakistan’s economic growth, adding that private equity funds could play a key role in attracting capital, expanding businesses and creating employment opportunities.

“Sectors such as minerals, agriculture, livestock, energy, information technology (IT) and other industries have the potential to become major drivers of economic growth,” he said, noting that a stronger public equity market could help channel investment into these sectors.

The prime minister observed that investment by the banking sector remained limited, underscoring the need to develop alternative financing mechanisms to meet the country’s growing investment requirements.

He reiterated that the government was prioritising measures to build a stronger and more sustainable economy through private sector-led investment, industrial expansion and export growth.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, and senior officials from relevant institutions.