The Economic Policy and Business Development (EPBD) think-tank hosted a luncheon in Islamabad on Tuesday in honour of the visiting Global Forum Dialogue delegation. The event was organized on the invitation of EPBD Chairman Dr Gohar Ijaz, while the delegation was led by former ambassador Ali Jahangir Siddiqui.
Speaking at the gathering, EPBD CEO Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera said Pakistan’s economic revival hinges on evidence-based policy making and a stronger partnership between the government and the private sector. He emphasised that a private-sector-led recovery was “very important,” noting that the business community had the potential to generate employment for millions of young Pakistanis.
Sukhera highlighted several EPBD initiatives, including the development of five-year shadow policies aimed at supporting sustainable economic growth. He also announced that Pakistan’s first-ever Wealth Perception Index had been compiled, incorporating data from 40 of the country’s major business groups. The index, he said, would help policymakers better understand business sentiment and investment trends.
“Employment for youth is possible only through the development of the private sector,” Sukhera said, adding that fair interest rates and reasonable taxation were essential to creating a conducive business environment. He stressed the need to bridge the policy gap between the government and the business community, warning that Pakistan was in dire need of business-friendly policies to stimulate investment and economic activity.
Sukhera said EPBD remained committed to bringing the government and private sector “on the same page” and welcomed the Global Forum Dialogue’s increasing role in Pakistan’s economic conversations. “The Dialogue delegation is becoming part of formal economic dialogue in Pakistan for the first time,” he noted.
Expressing his appreciation, delegation leader Ali Jahangir Siddiqui thanked Dr Gohar Ijaz and EPBD for hosting the forum and providing a platform for meaningful policy discussions.