Shehbaz urges international financial firms to expand operations in Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met senior executives of leading global financial institutions in London, inviting them to invest in Pakistan and expand their operations in the country.

During his engagements, the premier held meetings with representatives of Barclays, JP Morgan, Citi, BlackRock and Rothschild & Co. Earlier, he became the first Pakistani prime minister to open trading at the London Stock Exchange, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

In a meeting with a JP Morgan delegation led by its Europe, Middle East and Africa co-CEO Matthieu Wiltz, Shehbaz discussed expanding cooperation in capital markets, trade finance and investment banking.

The delegation expressed interest in Pakistan’s sovereign debt markets and corporate banking opportunities.

The prime minister also met Barclays’ UK head of Private Bank and Wealth Management, Mohammad Kamal Syed, and encouraged the bank to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s financial sector.

In talks with Rothschild & Co representatives, discussions focused on the country’s geo-economic priorities and potential cooperation in capital markets and investment strategy.

During his meeting with a Citi delegation led by Chief Client Officer David Livingstone, Shehbaz called for an expansion of the bank’s corporate and institutional banking services in Pakistan.

The PMO said the meetings reflected international financial institutions’ interest in Pakistan’s economic reforms and improving investment climate.