Sustainable growth key to economic transformation, says minister
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s journey towards a trillion-dollar economy is only possible through alignment of policy, capital industry, and institutions, said Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, pointing out that fragmented progress cannot deliver sustainable growth.
Speaking at the Pakistan Leadership Conversation on Thursday, the minister emphasised collective acceleration, export-led growth, and investor-friendly reforms as key drivers for economic transformation.
Drawing lessons from China’s development journey, Mr Sheikh highlighted how China’s focus on value-added products and export-led growth transformed it into one of the world’s leading exporters.
He stressed that Pakistan can replicate this success by upgrading its production base, improving quality standards, and moving up the global value chain.
He underlined that future-fit and skilled human capital is critical for sustainable development, adding that productivity enhancement — not just headline GDP growth — must remain Pakistan’s economic north star. He emphasised technology adoption, managerial capacity, and SME formalisation to strengthen competitiveness.
Highlighting digital transformation, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said that digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and fintech can enable Pakistan to leapfrog economically, provided adoption moves from pilot projects to large-scale platforms.
Referring to improving market sentiment, the investment minister noted that rising investor confidence reflected in the stock market performance indicates growing trust in Pakistan’s economic direction.
Reaffirming the prime minister’s vision, he stated that the government is implementing investor-friendly reforms to improve ease of doing business and ensure regulatory predictability.
The minister informed investors that special economic zones offer a ten-year income tax exemption, while around 6,000 acres of land are available near Port Qasim for investment purposes. He further highlighted that the Business Facilitation Centre is providing one-window solutions to domestic and foreign investors.
He concluded by reiterating that the Board of Investment remains committed to providing all possible facilitation to foreign investors and positioning Pakistan as a competitive, reliable, and future-ready investment destination.
Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2026
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