Islamabad (GNP): Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani formally opened the Founders’ Wall at Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) Towers Limited today, honoring the individuals who built the institution from the ground up. In his remarks, he stressed the importance of expanding Pakistan’s capital markets, widening investor participation, and promoting equity-based financing.
Gilani had previously inaugurated the ISE Tower building itself while serving as Prime Minister.
The Acting President remembered the late Ihsan-ul-Haq Piracha, who served as Minister of State for Finance under Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and played a key role in founding the Islamabad Stock Exchange back in 1989. He also acknowledged the exchange’s original Board of Directors for building the trading and settlement systems that supported Pakistan’s markets for over twenty years.
During the ceremony, Gilani described the Founders’ Wall as a tribute to the institutional legacy of Pakistan’s capital markets, crediting its founders with expanding financial access, democratizing economic opportunity, and integrating the country’s northern regions into the national financial system.
Reflecting on his own history with the institution, Gilani noted that he had laid the foundation stone for the ISE Towers during his time as Prime Minister, driven by his belief that Islamabad should serve as both the administrative and economic center of the nation.
Gilani observed that stock exchanges represent more than trading volumes, index movements, or market capitalization — they function as engines of trust that convert personal savings into national wealth and allow companies to grow, generate employment, and build industrial capacity without depending entirely on bank loans.
He outlined three key priorities for strengthening capital markets: expanding financial literacy to boost participation, encouraging family businesses and mid-sized firms to go public, and maintaining stable policies backed by sound economic fundamentals and lasting structural reform.
The Acting President affirmed that Parliament remains committed to supporting the country’s economic development, continuing to oversee improvements to capital market laws, strengthen SECP regulatory oversight, and protect investors. He also emphasized the need for economic opportunities to reach all provinces and regions fairly.
Gilani praised the Pakistan Stock Exchange’s leadership for launching this initiative to honor ISE’s founding figures, calling the recognition a sign of institutional maturity and forward thinking.
Before his formal remarks, Gilani offered his congratulations on the occasion of Pakistan Air Force Day.
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The ceremony included Gilani cutting the ribbon and unveiling the Founders’ Wall plaque, followed by a briefing from Chairman Haroon Ihsan Piracha and remarks to the Board of Directors.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
