Sindh Investment: Murad Shah Pledges Swift Reforms to Boost British Investor Confidence

Sindh Investment received a fresh boost after Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah pledged immediate action to resolve concerns raised by British investors and multinational companies, while reaffirming his government’s commitment to creating a more business-friendly and globally competitive environment.

Speaking at the Pakistan-UK Business Roundtable in Karachi, organised in collaboration with the British Deputy High Commission, Murad Shah said the Sindh government would continue simplifying regulations, ensuring policy consistency and removing barriers that discourage investment. He stressed that the province aims to strengthen investor confidence and position itself as a preferred destination for international businesses.

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The high-level meeting brought together representatives of leading British companies, multinational corporations, the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), senior British diplomats and provincial ministers. Participants discussed regulatory reforms, ease of doing business, investment challenges and opportunities for expanding foreign investment in Sindh.

Murad Shah said the roundtable was designed to deliver practical solutions rather than simply collect feedback. He directed government departments to treat investors’ concerns as urgent matters and implement time-bound measures to address regulatory and operational issues.

He acknowledged challenges related to taxation, infrastructure, utilities, regulatory procedures and coordination among government institutions. He added that the provincial administration would work closely with the private sector to eliminate obstacles affecting business growth.

The chief minister said governments must provide stability, transparency and policy consistency to investors. He noted that Sindh remains committed not only to attracting new investment but also to helping existing investors expand their operations.

Murad Shah highlighted ongoing initiatives to simplify administrative procedures, digitise public services and improve coordination across government institutions. He said the province wants investors to view the government as a reliable partner rather than only a regulator.

He also praised British companies for their contribution to Sindh’s economy through investment, employment, technology transfer and international business practices, reaffirming that Sindh remains open for business.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Investment and Public-Private Partnerships Syed Qasim Naveed described the roundtable as a results-driven platform focused on delivering measurable improvements. He announced that the government would prepare an issue-specific action matrix, assign responsibilities to relevant departments and introduce implementation timelines to ensure accountability.

British Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne welcomed the initiative and said the chief minister’s direct engagement reflected Sindh’s strong commitment to improving the investment climate. She noted that more than 500 regulatory reforms introduced in recent years had already improved the business environment and encouraged greater investor confidence.

A presentation by REMIT/FCDO highlighted Pakistan’s investment potential alongside persistent regulatory challenges. According to the findings, 74.1% of investors would recommend Pakistan as a destination for foreign direct investment, although 95.1% still consider business risks to be medium or high.

The presentation also showed that Pakistan implemented 558 reform measures during the past 14 months, generating estimated business savings of more than PKR 468.7 billion. Officials said Sindh plays a leading role in business-environment reforms and continues to support improvements in taxation, trade, dispute resolution, utilities and financial services.

The session concluded with British International Support Team representatives encouraging continued cooperation between government and businesses to strengthen Pakistan’s investment climate, improve regulatory certainty and unlock new opportunities for sustainable economic growth.