Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the promotion of investment is the government’s top priority to achieve economic growth in the country. During a meeting in Islamabad focused on investment promotion, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of providing necessary facilities to both local and foreign investors to boost exports.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister directed authorities to simplify regulatory compliance and make it more cost-effective to facilitate investors. He also stressed the need for improved coordination between the government and investors and called for accelerated digitization of systems to enhance access to licensing and other services. Sharif noted that the Special Investment Facilitation Council has bolstered investor confidence.

The meeting revealed that Special Economic Zones contributed 3.7 percent to national exports from July to March in the current fiscal year. A target has been set to increase this share to eight percent by fiscal year 2028. A business-ready action plan is being developed in consultation with provinces to promote investment, with all services being digitized to simplify government approvals through a new Pakistan Regulatory Registry.

The briefing highlighted that 21 Special Economic Zones are currently operational, with plans to increase this number to 26 by June. The Easy Business Act aims to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and expand digital services to further support investment.