PM holds meeting with industrialists ahead of 2026-2027 budget

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday held a consultative meeting with prominent industrialists and business figures to seek their views on the priorities of the upcoming federal budget 2026-2027, with emphasis on shaping economic policy and sustaining recovery efforts, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the discussion focused on the general direction of economic growth, export-led development and measures to strengthen investment and job creation ahead of the next budget.

The prime minister said consultations with the business community were “of crucial importance” in policy formulation, adding that Pakistan’s economic recovery depended on a strong partnership between the government and the private sector.

The delegation included prominent industrialists and business leaders such as Mian Muhammad Mansha, Arif Habib, Ahsan Zafar Syed, Muhammad Ali Tabba and others representing key sectors of the economy.

Several federal ministers and senior officials also attended the meeting, including Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, Economy Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT and Telecommunications Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister. Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad, among other senior officials.

Addressing the delegation, the Prime Minister said, “You are the ambassadors of Pakistan and our identity to the world,” and you have played a key role in shaping the country’s international economic reputation.

He thanked the business community for supporting the government in difficult economic conditions and said sustained cooperation between the public and private sectors was essential for growth.

“We are moving towards an export-led growth model, which remains at the heart of our economic policy,” said the Prime Minister.

The prime minister added that reforms were underway to improve the resolution of tax disputes through the tax courts, with what he described as transparent recruitment processes, while a committee had been formed to establish special commercial courts.

He said the upcoming budget would include measures to provide relief to the public while supporting business-friendly policies to attract investment and stabilize the economy.

Read: US proposes tariffs on products from 60 economies, including Pakistan

The Prime Minister also highlighted the government’s focus on expanding the industrial, agricultural and technology sectors, saying these areas would generate jobs and enhance long-term economic stability.

He added that technical and vocational training programs have been launched to improve the employability of youth and support national development.

The officials briefed the participants about ongoing reforms, including improvements in tax courts to expedite resolution of tax disputes, establishment of special commercial courts and infrastructure projects to improve cargo connectivity from Karachi ports to the rest of the country.

These include the upgrade of the M-10 highway and work on the Pipri freight corridor, as well as the development of the M-13 (Kharian-Rawalpindi) highway to reduce travel time between Lahore and Islamabad.

The briefing also highlighted the modernization of railway infrastructure under Pakistan Railways’ ML-1 and ML-2 projects, designed to improve goods movement and logistics efficiency.

The briefing also highlighted the development of a national AI transformation plan and the use of video analytics in industrial sectors such as sugar and cement to improve revenue collection.

Business leaders welcomed the government’s economic focus, welcoming efforts to stabilize the economy, improve financial management and promote digitalization. They also expressed support for tax reforms, reductions in energy costs for industry and timely tax refunds.

The delegation welcomed diplomatic efforts towards regional peace and thanked the Prime Minister for involving the business community in the budget consultations.

They reiterated their commitment to working with the government to strengthen the industry, boost exports and create employment opportunities.