Islamabad — September 10, 2026
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met with Ms. Lucia Real-Martin, Global Executive Director, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), along with Mr. Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, and Mr. Asad Malik Mahmood, Public Affairs Lead Pakistan, at the Finance Division today (Thursday), said a Finance Division handout issued by its media wing.
According to the handout , the Finance Minister welcomed the ACCA delegation and discussed Pakistan’s economic reform priorities, with particular emphasis on strengthening the private sector, promoting export-led growth and sustaining the gains achieved in macroeconomic stability. The meeting also explored opportunities for greater collaboration with ACCA in supporting Pakistan’s evolving economic and institutional reform agenda.
It said Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb highlighted the growing potential of Pakistan’s IT and IT-enabled services sector and emphasized the need to further strengthen the ecosystem through improved connectivity, including 5G, and targeted upskilling and reskilling, particularly in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. He stressed the importance of developing higher-value services and expanding shared service centres, enabling Pakistan’s skilled workforce to participate more deeply in global markets while creating greater value and opportunities within the country.
The handout noted Finance minister emphasized that talent export and talent retention should be viewed as complementary, with a strong domestic pipeline of skilled professionals capable of serving both international and domestic opportunities. He highlighted the importance of building capabilities that enable Pakistani professionals and shared service centres to move beyond transactional functions towards higher-value and knowledge-intensive activities.
It maintained Ms. Lucia Real-Martin briefed the Finance Minister on ACCA’s global work in professional and talent development and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s skills and economic agenda. She highlighted opportunities to strengthen the country’s shared services ecosystem, noting Pakistan’s strong talent base and the potential to develop higher-value services through targeted skills development, professional capacity building and institutional collaboration.
The handout said “ACCA delegation also outlined its ongoing engagement with the Government on public financial management, including capacity building, management reporting and the transition from cash to accrual-based accounting. ACCA expressed readiness to support public-sector institutions in developing new operating models and strengthening people, processes and technology, particularly in areas of digitalization, transparency and improved tax administration”.
The Finance Minister also emphasized the Government’s focus on strengthening the SME sector through capacity building and improved access to finance. He highlighted the need to enhance the bankability of SMEs and facilitate affordable access to professional expertise, enabling smaller businesses to strengthen financial management, improve financial documentation and cash-flow visibility, and better access commercial and other forms of financing.
Ms. Real-Martin highlighted ACCA’s work with SMEs through professional upskilling, policy and research, including initiatives aimed at improving access to finance and strengthening sustainability practices among smaller businesses. She also highlighted the emerging potential of fractional CFO services, which could provide SMEs with affordable access to professional financial expertise without requiring the cost of a full-time finance function.
The Finance Minister welcomed the potential for closer collaboration in this area, noting that strengthening SMEs requires not only greater availability of finance but also stronger financial capacity and preparedness to access it.
Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb appreciated ACCA’s longstanding contribution to Pakistan’s professional community and its engagement with members, students and partners through leadership platforms, including efforts to communicate Pakistan’s economic progress and reform agenda. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in support of Pakistan’s economic transformation, professional talent development, stronger SMEs and private-sector-led growth.
