LONDON – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has become the first Pakistani premier to address an event held at the London Stock Exchange, according to Express News.
During his visit to London, Shehbaz Sharif visited the London Stock Exchange and attended the market opening ceremony, where he was received by London Stock Exchange Group CEO David Schwimmer and senior officials.
Addressing the ceremony, the prime minister said it was an honour for him to be invited to the event.
Shehbaz said Pakistan had made significant efforts in recent years to strengthen its economy, adding that macroeconomic indicators were continuing to improve.
He said the issuance of $3 billion in Eurobonds was a clear indication of strengthening economic conditions, while the reissuance of the bonds was an important step towards keeping the economy on the right track.
Earlier during his UK visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate meetings in London with senior executives of leading global financial institutions, including Barclays, JPMorgan, Citi, BlackRock and Rothschild & Co.
The meetings focused on Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, macroeconomic stability, investment opportunities and expanding cooperation with the international financial sector.
During his meeting with Muhammad Kamal Syed, Head of Private Bank and Wealth Management UK at Barclays, the prime minister welcomed the bank’s interest in Pakistan and invited it to explore investment opportunities in the country’s financial sector.
A high-level JPMorgan delegation led by Co-Chief Executive Officer Mathieu Wiltz discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in capital markets, trade finance and investment banking. Shehbaz invited the bank to further expand its operations and presence in Pakistan.
The delegation expressed interest in Pakistan’s sovereign debt capital markets and corporate banking sectors.
In a meeting with senior Citi officials led by Chief Client Officer David Livingstone, Shehbaz appreciated the bank’s longstanding presence in Pakistan and encouraged it to expand its corporate and institutional banking services.
The prime minister also met BlackRock’s Co-Heads of Emerging Markets and Frontiers, Gordon Fraser and Sam Vetch, along with Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst Emily Fletcher. He invited the investment firm to increase its exposure to Pakistani equities and fixed-income assets under its frontier markets strategy.
Both sides emphasised the importance of policy continuity in strengthening investor confidence.
During a meeting with Rothschild & Co Chair of Geostrategic Advisory Lord Mark Sedwill and Head of UK Investment Banking Majid Ishaq, discussions covered Pakistan’s geoeconomic priorities and potential advisory cooperation in capital markets and investment strategies.
Senior officials of the international financial institutions expressed confidence in progress on Pakistan’s economic reform process and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation and engagement with the country’s financial sector.
The meetings were described as reflecting growing international interest in Pakistan’s economic reform programme and efforts to attract sustainable investment.
Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Privatisation and Chairman of the Privatisation Commission Muhammad Ali also attended the meetings.
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