Capital market reforms are critical component of the Caretaker Govt’s economic revival program: Dr. Shamshad Akhtar

KARACHI, Sep 30 (SABAH): Caretaker Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, while chairing a meeting with the Chairman of the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), bankers and heads of development finance, stated that capital market reforms are critical component of the Caretaker Government’s economic revival program. The initiatives are aimed to promote growth and development by harnessing the potential of capital market institutions to diversify sources of financing and exploiting innovative financing modalities.

Bankers and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) agreed on the need for establishment of private equity and venture funds to serve as a catalyst for economic revival. Chairman SECP reinforced SECP’s commitment and for creating an enabling regulatory environment. The Finance Minister appreciated SECPs active engagement and encouraged banks and DFIs to set the stage for this collaborative effort and fast track the setting up of the private funds to support industrial development.

Habib Bank Limited, representing a consortium of banks, proposed the establishment of a Climate Resilience (CR) Fund under the SECP Private Fund Regulations, 2015. The DFIs tabled the proposal for setting up a similar fund backed by DFIs. Whereas, Bank AL Falah presented a promising proposal to create a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the Asset Backed Securitization Regulations, 2022 to securitize rupee denominated debt to dollar denomination.

The Finance Minister appreciated these initiatives for seeking investments from local financial institutions, institutional investors, government DFIs, and corporates, with the potential to attract foreign capital, particularly from climate and ESG-focused international institutional investors.

She emphasized that the time is of the essence and hectic efforts should be made to bring these propositions to fruition. She underscored that these ground-breaking initiatives will contribute to restoring market confidence and send a clear message to the global market and foreign investors that Pakistan is open for business and poised for economic growth. Moving forward collaboratively there will be an effort to remove the impediments facing the establishment of these Funds.

The meeting concluded with resounding commitment from all participants, including banks and DFIs, to work together for the greater good of Pakistan’s economy.