PM Shehbaz seeks input from business community as he stresses export-led growth

PM Shehbaz seeks input from business community as he stresses export-led expansion.

Key points

• News Desk Published September 8, 2026 Updated September 8, 2026 06: 03pm.
• Follow Dawn Business on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and throughout the world.
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday sought recommendations from industrialists and businesspeople on how to growth export-led expansion in the country.
• It's a long journey, but through enforcement we recovered Rs800 billion in one year.
• Today's session is as we're in the first quarter, in the month of September.

News Desk Published September 8, 2026 Updated September 8, 2026 06: 03pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

"Whatever growth we have to achieve, it has to be export-led growth, period, " the premier remarked while addressing a session with prominent leaders of the business community.

He continued that any other kind of expansion had "no meaning" and reinforced that economic expansion had to be export-led.

"Today's session is as we're in the first quarter, in the month of September. As well as what challenges we will face and how to address them, " PM Shehbaz stated, I need your opinions on how to growth our exports.

Meanwhile, the prime minister offered the example of special tax relief to exporters as a means to achieve this expansion.

He recalled that in the run-up to the federal budget presented in June this year, the administration held multiple meetings and had "intense consultations" with the business community.

"Through your consultations in tough times, the way we brought structural changes over the past two-and-a-half years. It's teamwork. It's a tremendous teamwork, " PM Shehbaz remarked.

"Consequently, we created overdue structural reforms. It's a long journey, but through enforcement we recovered Rs800 billion in one year. No new taxes were imposed."

PM Shehbaz praised the teamwork involved between the business community and the administration, adding that Pakistan was ready to pursue expansion with their input.

In July, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked the administration was pursuing a strategy to diversify exportable products and market portfolios to achieve a target of six per cent sustainable economic expansion.

"Our destination is not only stabilisation but sustainable expansion of at least 6pc. That expansion has to be export-led; otherwise it will become another economic bubble that bursts within a few years, " he stated.

Last Monday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb remarked that the government's focus was on building an ecosystem to backing sustainable expansion that was led by the private sector and export-driven.

For context, the minister remarked Pakistan had moved from stabilisation towards expansion, but the key challenge now was to ensure its sustainability.

Earlier this week, PM Shehbaz welcomed the launch of export insurance coverage by the Export Development Fund (EDF) and the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan, saying the facility would support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) expand the country's exports.

Chairing a session on the EDF, he stated the Rs3bn risk pool would expand access to export credit insurance, especially for SMEs, and support the business community rise export volumes.

He described the initiative as a highly welcome step to promote small and medium-sized businesses and strengthen the national economy.

In short, PM Shehbaz seeks input from business community as he stresses export is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.