PM Shehbaz seeks greater investment in Pakistan from global financial giants

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday sought greater investment in Pakistan from leading global financial institutions during a series of meetings with senior executives of Barclays, J.P. Morgan, Citi, BlackRock and Rothschild & Co in London, his office said.

The meetings focused on Pakistan’s economic reform programme, investment opportunities, capital markets, trade finance and the expansion of financial services, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

During his meeting with Mohammad Kamal Syed, Head of Private Bank and Wealth Management UK at Barclays, the prime minister highlighted the government’s macroeconomic stabilisation measures and encouraged the bank to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s financial sector.

In talks with a J.P. Morgan delegation led by Matthieu Wiltz, Co-CEO for EMEA, Shehbaz discussed greater cooperation in capital markets, trade finance and investment banking. The delegation reaffirmed its interest in Pakistan’s sovereign debt capital markets and corporate banking opportunities.

The prime minister also met senior Citi officials led by Chief Client Officer David Livingstone and encouraged the bank to expand its corporate and institutional banking services in Pakistan.

During a meeting with BlackRock representatives Gordon Fraser and Sam Vecht, Co-Heads of Emerging Markets and Frontiers, and Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst Emily Fletcher, Shehbaz invited the investment firm to increase allocations to Pakistani equities and fixed-income instruments under its frontier markets strategy.

Both sides also highlighted the importance of policy consistency in strengthening investor confidence.

In his meeting with Rothschild & Co representatives Lord Mark Sedwill, Chair of Geostrategic Advisory, and Majid Ishaq, Head of UK Investment Banking, the prime minister discussed Pakistan’s geo-economic priorities and potential advisory cooperation in capital markets and investment strategy.

The executives of the financial institutions expressed confidence in Pakistan’s economic reform momentum and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening engagement with the country’s financial sector, according to the PM Office.

The meetings form part of the government’s efforts to strengthen international investor confidence and attract sustained capital flows into Pakistan.

Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation and Chairman of the Privatisation Commission Muhammad Ali also attended the meetings.