Federal leaders call for policy alignment and digital acceleration as ACCA concludes Pakistan Leadership Conversation 2026 in Islamabad
Islamabad, 27th January 2026 – Stronger policy alignment, institutional capacity and digital capability are essential to unlocking Pakistan’s economic potential, federal leaders said today at the concluding conference of the 8th Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC), organised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Addressing the conference, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Federal Minister, Board of Investment, emphasised the importance of collective action.
“Unlocking Pakistan’s economic potential requires collective acceleration across government, business and institutions,” said Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh. “By improving the ease of doing business, strengthening governance and supporting innovation, Pakistan can position itself as a more competitive and investable economy.”
In a session focused on collective acceleration and economic transformation, Senator Dr. Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, highlighted the critical link between climate leadership, coordinated reform and Pakistan’s long-term growth ambitions.
“Unlocking a trillion-dollar economy will not come from isolated wins or short-term fixes,” said Senator Dr. Musadik Malik. “It requires collective acceleration across government, industry and institutions, with climate resilience, energy transition and sustainable productivity at the core of our economic strategy.”
Providing a global perspective, Melanie Proffitt, President of ACCA, underscored the need for integrated thinking across climate, technology and skills.
“Countries that succeed in the next phase of growth will be those that connect climate ambition, digital transformation and human capability,” said Melanie Proffitt. “Finance professionals are uniquely positioned to strengthen accountability, guide investment decisions and enable responsible innovation.”
Opening the conference, Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, said the Islamabad discussions reinforced the importance of execution-focused leadership.
“Policy coherence and institutional capacity are central to Pakistan’s growth trajectory,” said Assad Hameed Khan. “Credible governance, high-quality data and digitally enabled institutions are essential to delivering sustainable and inclusive economic progress.”
The Islamabad agenda featured a dedicated session on Climate Governance & Tech: Driving Value Across Organisations moderated by Sadia Khan, Head of Finance, Asia Pacific, Adam Smith International. The panel comprised of Farrukh H. Khan, CFO, JAZZ, Farrukh H. Sabzwari, MD & CEO, Pakistan Stock Exchange, Mujeeb Zahur, Managing Director, S&P Global Pakistan, Musarat Jabeen, Executive Director, SECP and Mohsin Ali Chaudhry, Corporate Governance Officer & ESG Advisory Lead, IFC.
Another engaging discussion was on on AI, data and business transformation, reinforcing the role of leadership, talent and governance in scaling digital adoption.
Mohammad J Sear, Member, Pakistan Digital Authority, set the scene with his keynote address, which was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Momina Tariq, CHRO, Askari Bank Limited. Panellists included Ammar Karim, Group Executive Director, Easypaisa Digital Bank, Kabeer Naqvi (FCCA) – Entrepreneur in Residence, Abhi Fintech UAE, Kanwal Cheema, CEO Huawei FSI (BU), Pakistan, Shehzad Yousaf– Chief Retail Sales Officer, PTCL, and Samia Qamar, Pakistan Site Lead and Regional HR Director, Octus.
Abhi Microfinance Bank, DATArecall and Dawlance joined the PLC 2026 as strategic partners. Platinum partners included The Coca-Cola Company, Meezan Bank Limited, National Foods Limited, PACRA, Prescient Consulting and S&P Global Pakistan.
PLC 2026 concluded with a call for sustained collaboration between policymakers, businesses and the profession to ensure Pakistan’s economic strategy remains credible, investable and future-ready.
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