Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on international consulting firms to team up with Pakistan to strengthen economic growth, raise the performance of domestic industries and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The appeal comes as the government pushes ahead with structural reforms and the privatisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The prime minister made the proposal during a meeting with Peter Briggs, managing director of North American operations at the consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M). Sharif said Pakistan remained committed to export-led growth, a digital economy and greater efficiency in manufacturing.
He also pointed to a World Bank assessment that Pakistan’s per capita income could triple by 2050 if the country speeds up structural reforms. According to the bank, those reforms should encourage private investment, strengthen institutions and improve productivity.
Government reviews state enterprises and privatisation plans
Sharif said that, having reached economic and fiscal stability, the government was now moving to introduce deep-rooted reforms and build a productive economy. He said Pakistan was open to promising international markets and willing to draw on globally recognised economic experts.
The prime minister added that the government was assessing whether SOEs were economically viable and would pursue privatisation where it made sense for national growth.
Briggs pledges cooperation as officials attend talks
Stressing the value of professional expertise, Sharif said the government wanted qualified specialists and consulting firms to help strengthen the economy, with accountability and measurable results as priorities.
Briggs thanked the prime minister for the meeting and welcomed the government’s commitment to attracting FDI and engaging international economic experts. He said his firm was interested in working with Pakistan to promote a productive economy and a business-friendly environment.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Leghari, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and other government officials also attended the meeting.
