LIIBS 2026 Wraps Up with Roadmap on “The Next Move” for Economy, Technology, and Global Standing
Islamabad (GNP): Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani said the government is prioritizing improved access to financing for farmers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as a means of unlocking economic growth.
Speaking at the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit, he stressed that boosting exports is essential to keeping foreign exchange reserves healthy and breaking the cycle of repeated economic boom-and-bust periods.
Kayani called for structural reforms paired with stronger governance, emphasizing that better alignment between federal and provincial administrations is essential. He said Pakistan needs to move away from unchecked spending followed by repeated recourse to IMF bailouts, and instead focus on export-driven growth.
He noted that effective policymaking requires close coordination with the private sector — pointing to last year’s reduction in super taxes as one example — and said the government is actively working to ensure farmers and SMEs have better access to financing, including through reforms to institutions like SMEDA.
The ninth edition of the Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit (LIIBS) 2026, themed “The Next Move,” concluded with policymakers, global business leaders, and thought leaders expressing firm commitment to translating Pakistan’s economic potential into lasting progress.
In his opening ministerial keynote, Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb noted that GDP growth reached roughly 3.7% last fiscal year, with that momentum carrying into the current year. He pointed to a turnaround in large-scale manufacturing alongside strong remittance inflows and IT exports supporting the external account, and said Pakistan must shift away from consumption-driven growth toward a model built on sustainable, productive economic activity.
Federal Minister and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali said Pakistan must move beyond simply consuming technology to becoming a creator of it, with ambitions to build businesses capable of competing globally. He called for stronger education, greater workforce participation across genders, and efforts to channel talent into manufacturing, defense, and future technologies — envisioning a Pakistan with more productive, less congested cities and a young population equipped to shape the country’s economic future.
In the closing session, former Caretaker Prime Minister Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar argued that while Pakistan’s security challenges are real, the deeper issue is structural — noting that other countries facing significant violence have still managed to build substantial export economies. He suggested the focus should be on addressing underlying economic constraints rather than attributing weak growth solely to terrorism.
Federal Minister for Climate Change & Environmental Coordination Senator Dr. Musadik Malik emphasized the importance of policy continuity, warning that elite-driven policymaking inevitably leads to exploitation. He called for a merit-based, skills-focused approach built on broad consensus, arguing that talented graduates from Pakistan’s strong universities should be able to pursue opportunities without unnecessary obstacles, and stressed the need to persistently work toward dismantling elite capture.
Centered on charting Pakistan’s future direction, the summit examined the country’s pivotal moment across economic policy, technology, and global positioning, bringing together diverse perspectives to help shape a path forward.
Throughout the day, global institutional leaders and industry executives took part in six sessions covering topics ranging from geopolitics and geoeconomics to business and technology trends, AI and digital transformation, capital and finance, and Pakistan’s next strategic steps. All speakers received a copy of “Syed Babar Ali: A Centennial Tribute,” written by Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder and Chairman of Nutshell Group and Pakistan’s former Minister for Investment.
Following the opening session, the second panel — “Geopolitics, Geoeconomics & Pakistan” — focused on strengthening investment confidence and climate resilience. The third session, “Business, Technology & The New Competitive Landscape,” explored how companies can adapt more quickly, build resilience, access new markets, and achieve sustainable growth.
The fourth session, “AI, Digital Transformation & Economic Value,” examined technology’s role in reshaping productivity, customer experience, business models, and competitive edge. The penultimate session, “Capital, Finance & The Confidence Economy,” discussed strategies for mobilizing domestic and international capital, strengthening financial markets, and creating long-term investment and growth opportunities.
Speakers across these sessions included Lucia Real Martin of ACCA; Dr. Faisal Hashmi of The Coca-Cola Company; Aamir Ibrahim of JazzWorld and Mobilink Bank; Muhammad Azfar Ahsan of Nutshell Group; Simon Andrews of the International Finance Corporation; Dr. Samuel Rizk of UNDP Pakistan; Andrew Bailey of BASF Pakistan; Maheen Rahman of InfraZamin Pakistan; Dr. Ayesha K. Khan of Acumen; Sajjeed Aslam of Sustainability, USA; Serkan Ozturk of VEON Group; Irfan Wahab Khan of Telenor Group and easypaisa Digital Bank; Saira Awan Malik of TCS Holdings; Kabeer Naqvi of Abhi Group; Fatima Asad-Said of ABACUS; Saquib Ahmad of Systems Limited; Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary of Mobilink Bank; Saqib Sabah of SAP; Tariq Rashid of Systems Limited; Asif Ahmed of PTCL; Mujeeb Zahur of S&P Global Pakistan; Javed Kureishi of the Pakistan Business Council; Dr. Amjad Waheed of NBP Funds; Mohammad Shoaib of Lucky Investments; Imtiaz Gadar of Al Meezan Investment Management; Umair Aijaz of Raqami Islamic Digital Bank; ACM Sohail Aman, former Chief of Air Staff and now with Nutshell Group; Ziad Bashir of the Pakistan Business Council; and columnist and anchor Fahd Husain.
The closing session, titled “Pakistan’s Moment of Choice,” brought together voices from political leadership, government, business, strategic communications, and the private sector to reflect on the critical decisions facing Pakistan at this juncture in global affairs.
Also read: Pakistan Moving from Stabilisation to Investment, Aurangzeb
LIIBS 2026 concluded with a shared understanding that Pakistan’s path forward lies not in waiting for certainty, but in acting decisively on the reforms, capital, technology, and partnerships already available to it.
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.
