Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday declared a boost in business confidence reflects the success of the government’s broader reform efforts and its collaborative engagement with key economic actors.
His remarks came about during a meeting with a delegation of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which shared with him the results of the Business Confidence Index (BCI) Survey—Wave 27, conducted nationwide in March and April. Led by OICCI President Yousaf Hussain, the delegation noted a marked improvement in overall business confidence across the country.
According to the survey, the BCI rose a significant 16%, moving from -5% in October–November 2024 to 11% today. The OICCI attributed the positive shift across multiple sectors to macroeconomic stability, a decline in inflation, and expectations of better business conditions in the coming months.
The manufacturing sector led the improved sentiment, with business confidence increasing from -3% to 15%. The Retail and Wholesale sectors followed, showing a recovery from -18% in the previous wave to 2% in the latest survey. The Services sector also demonstrated consistent growth in business confidence, rising from 2% to 10%.
Welcoming the upward trend in business sentiment, Aurangzeb saw it as a strong indicator that the country’s economic trajectory is stabilizing. He acknowledged the importance of maintaining a conducive environment for investment and emphasized the government’s focus on supporting private sector growth and ensuring long-term macroeconomic resilience. He said the improved business confidence reflected broader reform efforts and collaborative engagement between the government and key economic actors.
The OICCI president noted that business confidence had steadily improved over the past two years, with the latest surge highlighting the resilience of Pakistan’s business sector and its optimism in tapping into future growth opportunities. The survey’s findings also underscored increasing trust in the government’s economic direction and reform measures.
The finance minister affirmed that the government would continue to take necessary actions to sustain this positive momentum. Policy consistency, transparency, and proactive engagement with stakeholders, including OICCI members, were identified as central elements of the government’s approach to further strengthening investor confidence and economic stability.