Islamabad: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb said here on Friday that Pakistan and the Netherlands should strengthen business-to-business linkages, promote mutual understanding, and deepen bilateral economic cooperation.
The minister was talking at Luncheon he hosted in in honour of a Dutch business delegation led by the Founders Carbon Network (FCN), accompanied by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Pakistan, H.E. Robert-Jan Siegert.
The luncheon was also attended by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Secretary Commerce, and senior officials of the Finance Division.
The minister noted that sustained engagement between the business communities of Pakistan and the Netherlands would help identify commercially viable investment opportunities, develop partnerships and build investor confidence.
He highlighted Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic outlook and stressed the importance of translating the gains of stabilisation into productive investment, capital formation, export expansion and private-sector-led growth.
He emphasised that the next phase of Pakistan’s economic development must be increasingly export-oriented, productivity-driven and employment-generating, supported by sustained structural reforms and greater mobilisation of private capital.
Referring to Pakistan’s strengthening external position, the Finance Minister noted that foreign exchange reserves had reached a historic high of US$21.4 billion, providing over three months of import cover.
He emphasised that sustaining these gains and building resilience against external shocks remained essential to reinforcing investor confidence and creating a durable foundation for economic growth.
He identified rapid population growth and climate change as two existential challenges facing Pakistan, underscoring their implications for economic sustainability, human development and long-term resilience.
Highlighting opportunities for closer Pakistan-Netherlands economic cooperation, Aurangzeb pointed to the potential for Dutch expertise, technology and investment to complement Pakistan’s development priorities across key sectors.
He identified public-private partnerships as an important avenue for mobilising private capital, leveraging specialised expertise and translating investment interest into commercially viable projects.
Meanwhile, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation, Muhammad Ali reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding private-sector participation through privatisation and public-private partnerships.
He noted that these initiatives were aimed at improving efficiency, attracting investment and creating greater opportunities for private enterprise across commercial activities.
The Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Jameel Ahmad emphasised the importance of maintaining macroeconomic stability, strengthening external-sector resilience and ensuring that financial-sector reforms support productive economic activity.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to facilitate trade, including the role of the Trade Facilitation Board in addressing barriers and strengthening institutional coordination.
Members of the Dutch delegation shared their perspectives on Pakistan’s business environment and prospects for expanded bilateral cooperation. The discussions highlighted opportunities to strengthen business-to-business engagement, identify areas of mutual interest and develop commercially viable partnerships between Pakistani and Dutch enterprises.
The engagement underscored the shared interest in translating closer business ties into investment, trade and long-term economic partnerships.
It also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for international investors and facilitating greater private-sector participation in Pakistan’s economic development.