Export-Led Growth in Pakistan Vital for Economic Stability, Says Finance Minister

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met with top exporters and business leaders—led by former Pakistan Business Council (PBC) Chairman Shabbir Diwan—as part of the government’s ongoing consultative process with the business and industrial sectors.

During the meeting, Senator Aurangzeb emphasized that export-led growth in Pakistan is not merely a policy goal—it is the only sustainable path forward for ensuring long-term economic stability. “Every sector of the economy must contribute,” he stated, underlining the need for increased productivity and outward-looking policies to help Pakistan escape its recurring boom-and-bust cycles and avoid entering what would be a 25th IMF program.

The Finance Minister stressed that dismantling the current protectionist framework is essential for enabling market-based competitiveness. “The era of unnecessary protection must come to an end. The Prime Minister is personally overseeing this shift,” he added.

Addressing Structural Barriers to Competitiveness

Addressing structural challenges, the minister pointed out that high financing costs, elevated energy tariffs, and an overly complex tax regime continue to hinder industrial competitiveness. He reiterated that resolving these bottlenecks is vital to achieving export-led growth in Pakistan.

Senator Aurangzeb also shared that the upcoming federal budget will be developed as a strategic document aligning fiscal priorities with the broader objective of sustainable, export-driven growth.

The discussion included the government’s Tariff Rationalisation Program, which aims to eliminate anomalies and inconsistencies affecting business operations. Mr. Diwan welcomed the initiative and offered private sector input on ensuring greater policy consistency and predictability.

The Finance Minister concluded by assuring that stakeholder feedback will play a critical role in shaping upcoming reforms. He called for stronger public-private collaboration to build a resilient, competitive, and globally integrated economic framework.