Islamabad, 2026: Federal leaders, policymakers, and business executives on Tuesday stressed the need for stronger policy alignment, institutional capacity, and accelerated digital adoption to unlock Pakistan’s economic potential, as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) concluded the 8th Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) in Islamabad.

The two-day conference brought together government officials, regulators, corporate leaders, and finance professionals to discuss economic transformation, climate governance, and technology-led growth, highlighting the importance of coordinated action across public and private sectors.

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Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Federal Minister for the Board of Investment, emphasised collective responsibility in driving economic progress. He said improving the ease of doing business, strengthening governance frameworks, and encouraging innovation were critical to making Pakistan a more competitive and investable economy.

In a session on collective acceleration and economic transformation, Dr. Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, linked long-term growth with climate leadership and coordinated reforms. He noted that sustainable productivity, energy transition, and climate resilience must form the core of Pakistan’s economic strategy.

Providing an international perspective, Melanie Proffitt, President of ACCA, highlighted the need to integrate climate ambition, digital transformation, and skills development. She said finance professionals play a central role in strengthening accountability, guiding investment decisions, and supporting responsible innovation.

Opening the conference, Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, said discussions in Islamabad reinforced the importance of execution-focused leadership. He stressed that policy coherence, credible governance, high-quality data, and digitally enabled institutions were essential for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Climate governance and digital transformation in focus

The Islamabad agenda featured a dedicated session on climate governance and technology-driven value creation, moderated by Sadia Khan of Adam Smith International. Panellists included senior executives from Jazz, the Pakistan Stock Exchange, S&P Global Pakistan, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, and the International Finance Corporation.

Another key discussion focused on artificial intelligence, data, and business transformation, examining how leadership, talent development, and governance frameworks can support large-scale digital adoption. The session followed a keynote address by Mohammad J. Sear of the Pakistan Digital Authority and featured executives from Easypaisa Digital Bank, Huawei Pakistan, PTCL, Octus, and Abhi Fintech.

PLC 2026 was supported by strategic partners Abhi Microfinance Bank, DATArecall, and Dawlance, with platinum partners including The Coca-Cola Company, Meezan Bank Limited, National Foods Limited, PACRA, Prescient Consulting, and S&P Global Pakistan.

The conference concluded with a call for sustained collaboration between policymakers, businesses, and the finance profession to ensure Pakistan’s economic strategy remains credible, investable, and future-ready.