First Pak Economic Summit: Top business leaders call for lasting peace in Balochistan, KP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top business leaders have called for lasting peace amid the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They also advocated the creation of new administrative units to improve governance and urged deeper public-private collaboration to unlock the country’s export potential.

They expressed these views at the first Pakistan Economic Summit held on Thursday. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and former minister Gohar Ejaz were also present on the occasion.

Business leaders, however, expressed disappointment over the absence of key government representatives.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb was scheduled to address the economic summit according to the official invitation card; however, he could not attend the event.

They regretted that several relevant federal ministers and senior officials were also not present, including from the Board of Investment and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), saying meaningful dialogue between policymakers and the private sector required the participation of the government’s top economic team.

Speaking on the occasion, FPCCI Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer said the federation’s leadership had spent the past two-and-a-half years pursuing policies aimed at reducing the cost of doing business. He claimed that electricity tariffs for industry had fallen from around 17 US cents per unit to nearly 12 US cents.

Highlighting Pakistan’s untapped export potential, Tanveer said the country possessed enormous opportunities across its districts. “If every district generates just $1 billion in exports, Pakistan can achieve exports of $170 billion,” he said, adding the country’s existing export base remained far below its true potential despite abundant industrial and agricultural resources.

He noted that Pakistan had remained stuck at roughly USD 30 billion in annual exports for years and questioned why the country had failed to break through that ceiling despite repeated policy initiatives. “There is clearly a structural problem that needs to be addressed,” he said.

Tanveer urged representatives from all provinces to speak candidly about the challenges confronting businesses so the summit could formulate practical recommendations and adopt a consensus resolution for submission to the government. He stressed that sustainable peace, political stability, governance reforms, and closer coordination between the public and private sectors were essential to putting Pakistan on a path of rapid industrialization and export-led growth. He demanded 2 seats in the Senate, four in the National Assembly, and 10 in each provincial assembly for the business community.

Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) Chairman Hassan Bakhshi, in the presence of the Interior Minister, told Gohar Ejaz to come up with a political party of the business community. “If we can feed the government and bureaucracy, why can’t we run the country?” He also called for a presidential system and technocrats in the government to run the affairs.

During the panel discussion, the business community from Balochistan province echoed that they do not need exports, imports or interest rates—but they need peace. They appealed to the Field Marshal and the federal government to prioritize peace restoration over fixing the economy.

Fawad Ahmed Mukhtar, Chief Executive Officer, Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited and Fatima Group, said the country is at a defining moment and should convert the edge achieved in the aftermath of war against India and the crucial role played during the US-Iran war. He said that the agriculture sector has great potential and can turn around the country if its untapped potential is harnessed with modern techniques.

FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said the summit would serve as a platform to strengthen the partnership between the government and the private sector at a time when Pakistan required coordinated economic decision-making.

He paid tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, praising what he described as Pakistan’s “historic success” against India during the recent conflict. He also lauded the Field Marshal’s diplomatic role in facilitating an Iran-US understanding and acknowledged Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi for his contribution during the crisis.

Sheikh also praised former federal minister Gohar Ejaz for representing Pakistan’s business community and said the FPCCI had consistently worked to bridge the gap between policymakers and the private sector by ensuring that the concerns of the business community reach the government’s decision-makers.

He said the federation had actively pursued the issue of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), urging the government to revisit existing agreements to reduce the burden of electricity costs on industry and consumers.

He welcomed the prime minister’s industrial export package, saying it would provide much-needed relief to exporters and help improve Pakistan’s competitiveness in international markets.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Ahsan Bhoon has said the creation of new administrative units is essential to resolving Pakistan’s fundamental challenges, urging political parties to build consensus on the issue.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026