Govt, SRF discuss investment opportunities in energy, infrastructure

Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb held talks with a high-level delegation from the Silk Road Fund, a major Chinese investment vehicle, with Ms. Zhu Jun, the fund's chairperson, heading the group. According to a press release cited by Mettis Global, both sides explored ways to deepen economic and investment ties across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing and the privatization programme.

Aurangzeb briefed the visitors on recent gains such as better fiscal prudence, steadier external accounts and stronger foreign exchange reserves. He said the government aims to improve policy predictability, strengthen institutions and push ahead with reforms, and he argued that closer work with international investors could aid capital formation as well as infrastructure development. He also described efforts to widen the tax base and move tax administration toward digital systems.

The SRF delegation said it was impressed by the quality of several private-sector projects it reviewed and voiced interest in further work in infrastructure, energy and projects with wider economic and social effects. Discussion also touched on opportunities linked to power sector reforms, covering transmission and distribution. Aurangzeb called for stronger links between institutional capital and commercially viable projects, and representatives of the Finance Division, the Economic Affairs Division and the Special Investment Facilitation Council took part as well.