Aurangzeb Underlines Need for Investors’ Friendly Environment

Islamabad: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has emphasized the necessity of creating a regulatory environment that is conducive to building confidence among local and international investors interested in investing in Pakistan. He made these comments while presiding over a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Revenue Mobilization, Investment and Trade Programme alongside British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Finance Minister praised the progress made on reform initiatives in the areas of taxation, investment, trade, and macroeconomic policies. He specifically commended the advancements in Compliance Risk Management and the measures taken to enhance the taxpayers’ interaction with the Federal Board of Revenue. Additionally, he noted the significance of regulatory and tariff reforms in driving Pakistan’s economic growth.

Aurangzeb also stressed the importance of a coordinated approach to attracting investment, which includes short-, medium-, and long-term strategies as part of the ongoing economic reform efforts. He pointed out that investors primarily seek reduced taxation, lower energy costs, affordable financing, and supportive regulatory frameworks.

During the meeting, updates were provided on various initiatives under REMIT’s support, covering technical assistance for the implementation of IMF commitments, progress on GST harmonization, climate and disaster budget tagging in the provinces, regulatory reforms at the provincial level, trade liberalization, industrial policy, and effective communication of economic reforms.

Jane Marriott, in her remarks, reaffirmed the UK Government’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in achieving its economic reform goals. She emphasized that the REMIT Programme remains a vital platform for advancing fiscal, trade, and investment reforms in collaboration with federal and provincial stakeholders.

The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their dedication to continued collaboration under the REMIT Programme to reinforce Pakistan’s economic foundations and accelerate reforms that will lead to sustainable economic growth.