Pakistan Business Council (PBC) Chairman Ziad Bashir met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to discuss the economic outlook and establish a joint working agenda. Both officials agreed that economic stabilization has been achieved and that the priority must now shift toward driving growth.
During the meeting, the participants emphasized broadening the tax base as a sustainable route to lowering rates for compliant businesses. The PBC offered support to bring the retail and services sectors into the documented economy, noting that the formal sector currently carries a disproportionate tax burden.
The discussions also covered expanding exports through joint research to map untapped trade potential globally. The PBC Chairman highlighted the role of EXIM Bank in export credit insurance and competitively priced financing, while also proposing preferential trade arrangements with large economies like the United States for finished goods made from imported U.S. cotton.
Employment and female labor force participation were identified as shared priorities, alongside a call for faster execution of government policies and accelerated privatization of loss-making state-owned enterprises. Both sides agreed to maintain frequent meetings and collaborate on a structured economic agenda.