Karachi (September 18, 2025) : Mian Zahid Hussain, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum & All Karachi Industrial Alliance, Chairman National Business Group Pakistan, Chairman Policy Advisory Board FPCCI, and Former Provincial Minister Information Technology, has urged the policymakers to address the profound vulnerabilities that threaten to undermine recent fiscal progress.
Hussain highlighted a sharp dichotomy in Pakistan’s current economic landscape. On one hand, the government has made commendable strides in fiscal management, including a record early debt repayment and a narrowing fiscal deficit. This strategic, top-down approach has strengthened the nation’s standing with international partners, particularly the IMF.
However, this progress is now gravely overshadowed by the catastrophic impact of the 2025 monsoon floods. The climate shock has crippled the agricultural sector, leading to crop destruction, a surge in food prices, and a dramatic drop in consumer confidence. “While the government has impressed international creditors, the reality on the ground is that millions of people are facing economic hardship,” Hussain stated.
He stressed that the stability that has been gained is fragile and susceptible to large-scale, bottom-up shocks. Furthermore, Hussain noted that geopolitical tensions and Indian sponsored serious terrorist attacks on security forces cast a long shadow over the nation’s investment climate.
He called on the government to act decisively by accelerating investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and launching a transparent audit of flood relief funds to rebuild international trust. “The path forward requires not just fiscal discipline but a fundamental commitment to addressing the structural risks that threaten our long-term stability and social well-being,” Hussain concluded.
