Pakistanis capable of driving national, global economic growth: PM

ISLAMABAD: Recognising the contribution of Pakistan’s business and IT companies on the global stage, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the people of Pakistan are capable of playing a central role in the development of the country as well as the global economy.

Chairing a meeting on investors participation and opportunities in the process of digital and other reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the prime minister said the Pakistani business community was proving its worth and IT entrepreneurs were offering valuable services in the global market.

Appreciating the investment pledges of $700 million in Pakistan’s IT sector during the Digital Investment Forum held under the Digital Cooperation Conference, he said that Pakistan was home to some of the world’s best experts in IT and other fields who could deliver excellent results if given opportunities in line with their capabilities and potential.

During the meeting, participants were briefed on various phases of the digital reform process in the FBR and available investment opportunities.

Separately, in a meeting with the executives of leading IT companies, participating in Pakistan’s first ‘Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum 2025,’ held here on April 29-30, the prime minister, highlighting Pakistan’s vision of becoming a regional hub for technology, finance and innovation, assured his government’s full support to IT investors and reaffirmed the commitment to building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with them. Welcoming the investors and business leaders in Islamabad, he appreciated the announcement of over $700 million in investment pledges and expressed deep appreciation for their confidence in Pakistan’s potential. He briefed the delegates about the ongoing regulatory reforms, fiscal incentives and digital infrastructure investments. Among those who called on the prime minister included Jabbar Rahim Khan of Russoft, who announced to invest $500 million, Taha Naseem and Ahsan Jamil of sAi Venture Capital who announced $100 million investment, Fernando Morillo and Muhammad Hamayun Sajjad of Mashreq Bank who announced $30 million investment, and Belal Kemal Faruki of Mindhyve.ai $22 million investment.

Meanwhile, in a separate meeting with Digital Cooperation Organisation Secretary-General Deemah Al Yahya, the prime minister, highlighting his government’s efforts to align Pakistan with the global wave of digital transformation, said that the country’s economy was the most suitable market in the region for digital startups and foreign investment. The DCO secretary-general thanked Pakistan for hosting the first forum and called her participation in the inaugural session a great honour.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said Pakistan’s workers now have guaranteed safer workplaces under the National Occupational Safety and Health Profile. In his message on Labour Day (May 1), the prime minister said: “For the first time, every worker in Pakistan benefits from a National Occupational Safety and Health Profile, ensuring safer, healthier workplaces across the country. Our government has taken important steps to broaden the coverage and impact of institutions such as the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF), ensuring that the fruits of our labour protections are shared more equitably across all segments of the workforce.

“Through digitisation and labour law reforms, we are building a future where every worker has access to dignity, safety and opportunity. At the same time, skill development initiatives, particularly through the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission and the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities, are being expanded, with a special focus on empowering youth and women with demand-driven vocational training.”