Aurangzeb takes up investment & digital finance with ME banks
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Saturday discussed a host of financial matters with ME banks’ teams.
Aurangzeb met with the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank delegation on the sidelines of the World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss Pakistan’s economic outlook, financing and investment opportunities.
The Finance Minister highlighted progress under the IMF programme, fiscal consolidation, stronger reserves and the Government’s commitment to sustainable export-led growth.
READ MORE: Aurangzeb urges IFIs to align financing terms with improved ratings
Discussions covered capital market issuances and debt management aimed at replacing costly short-term borrowing, extending maturities and reducing repayment concentrations.
The Finance Minister welcomed the Bank’s interest in several transactions, including restored Pakistan credit limits, participation in International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) financing, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)-backed financing and an International Finance Corporation (IFC)-supported Diversified Payment Rights (DPR) transaction.
He further highlighted opportunities in refinery upgrades, privatization, airport outsourcing, electricity transmission and the ML-1 railway.
Both sides explored data centre financing and digital finance, including the importance of competitive electricity pricing and an effective regulatory framework.
The meeting also reviewed the economic impact of regional conflict, energy security and targeted relief measures, with follow-up coordinated through the Debt Management Office in the Ministry of Finance.
Aurangzeb met with the Ajman Bank delegation to discuss economic outlook and financing partnership.
He highlighted improved fiscal and external indicators and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to macroeconomic stability and reforms. Discussions covered prospective Sukuk issuances, rupee-denominated, dollar-settled instruments, and diversification of funding sources.
He emphasized replacing expensive short-term debt, extending maturities and avoiding repayment concentrations without increasing overall external debt. The Finance Minister appreciated Ajman Bank’s interest in expanding cooperation and welcomed its participation and advice on future financing transactions.
Both sides discussed the economic spillovers of regional conflict, banking sector resilience and targeted fuel subsidies consistent with fiscal discipline. The discussion also highlighted Pakistan’s de-escalation efforts and the availability of fertilizer that had helped safeguard food security.
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb met with the Sharjah Islamic Bank delegation on the sidelines of the World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss Pakistan’s economic progress and financing partnership.
The Finance Minister highlighted improved fiscal and external indicators, stronger foreign exchange reserves, credit rating upgrades and progress under the IMF programme. Discussions covered prospective Sukuk, rupee-denominated dollar-settled instruments, further Panda bond issuance and possible Eurobond tokenisation.
He emphasised replacing costly short-term debt, extending maturities and reducing repayment concentrations without increasing overall external debt.
The Finance Minister outlined investment opportunities in refinery upgrades, power distribution privatisation and airport outsourcing. They also discussed developing capital market benchmarks through financial institution issuances and expanding lending to businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the agriculture sector.
Reference Link:- https://www.brecorder.com/news/40444760
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
