[Davos, 22 nd January 2025]— Pathfinder Group hosted the event, Investment in Pakistan at the
Pakistan Pavilion during the World Economic Forum showcasing Pakistan’s stories, progress, and
achievements on the global stage. Zarrar Sehgal, Chairman of the Pathfinder Group, moderated
the event which featured Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and
Revenue as the Chief Guest. Esteemed speakers included Oliver Schwab (Managing Director, of
the World Economic Forum), Abu Bakr (CEO of Pakistan Software Export Board), and Michael
Kugelman (Director of Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute).
The discussions highlighted Pakistan’s unique potential as an attractive investment destination, with
a focus on strategic reforms aimed at addressing critical economic challenges, unlocking long-term
growth opportunities and showcasing the potential of technology-led economic strategies,
emphasizing the alignment of these initiatives with Pakistan's broader development goals.
Olivier M. Schwab commended the Pathfinder Group's collaboration with the World Economic
Forum, applauding the success of the Asaan Mobile Account (AMA) providing financial access to
over 12 million underserved Pakistanis. He also stated the significance of partnerships and
technological advancements for global progress. Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb highlighted
Pakistan’s strides in economic stability, “We’ve stabilized our reserves, strengthened our currency,
and achieved record IT exports – this is just the beginning.” The need for structural reforms like tax
expansion, privatization, and export-led FDI to ensure long-term growth is necessary to access
international capital markets to reshape Pakistan’s economic landscape. Michael Kugelman
emphasized the need to refine the narrative to attract global investors. With macroeconomic stability
improving in Pakistan, he suggested this could be the right time to pitch Pakistan’s distinct
advantages to the global community. Abu Bakar stressed the sector's enormous potential and
alignment among various sectors. There are challenges but strong commitment is needed to
improve policy and support development in tech and digital sectors. The discussion highlighted
Pakistan’s efforts to position itself as a competitive investment destination by leveraging its tech
sector, financial inclusion, and innovation through collaboration with global partners. Thanking
everyone attended the event Ikram Sehgal, Co-Chairman of Pathfinder Group urged the
stakeholders to prioritize collective national interests for sustained progress. He highlighted that
initiatives like Assan Mobile Account and Agent Interoperability boost financial inclusion resulting in
economic growth and development.
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