Pakistan must shift from crisis management to future planning, business leader urges

Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has urged Pakistan’s government and national stakeholders on to adopt a unified, long-term economic strategy driven by expert planning and collaboration to secure the country’s future growth.

Speaking at a high-level economic forum titled “Navigating the Unknown,” Yousaf Hussain, President OCCI, called for a comprehensive National Economic Execution Plan that integrates trade, industry, fiscal, energy, and human development policies under a single framework led by technocrats.

Representing over 200 multinational companies operating in Pakistan, Hussain emphasized leveraging the country’s youth population and geo-economic position through skills development, export diversification, and regional trade integration. He also stressed the importance of women’s inclusion and digital transformation as key drivers of progress.

“Multinational companies in Pakistan are not just investors — they are centers of excellence and engines of innovation,” Hussain said. He urged the government to engage the private sector as early partners in policy planning and execution while improving the ease of doing business and crafting a credible investment narrative.

“This is Pakistan’s decisive decade — we must stop managing crises and start designing the future,” he concluded.

The OICCI, Pakistan’s largest chamber of foreign investors, includes major global firms spanning sectors such as energy, finance, and manufacturing. Hussain’s remarks come amid ongoing economic challenges, including inflation and external debt pressures, prompting calls for structural reforms.