Govt, ACCA join hands to boost skills, SMEs and private sector growth

September 10, 2026 (MLN): Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb held discussions with Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Global Executive Director Ms. Lucia Real-Martin on strengthening Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, professional skills development and private-sector growth.

The meeting, held at the Finance Division, was attended by ACCA Pakistan Head Assad Hameed Khan and Public Affairs Lead Pakistan Asad Malik Mahmood.

The discussions focused on Pakistan’s reform priorities, including private-sector development, export-led growth and consolidation of macroeconomic stability.

Both sides also explored avenues for closer cooperation between the government and ACCA in advancing institutional and economic reforms.

Senator Aurangzeb underscored the potential of Pakistan’s IT and IT-enabled services sector, stressing the need for stronger connectivity, including 5G, alongside targeted upskilling and reskilling in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and blockchain.

He called for a shift towards higher-value services and the expansion of shared service centres to enable Pakistani professionals to compete more effectively in international markets and generate greater domestic economic value.

The minister said talent export and retention should complement each other, supported by a strong domestic pipeline of skilled professionals capable of serving both local and international markets.

He also stressed the need to develop capabilities that can move professionals and shared service centres from transactional work towards knowledge-intensive functions.

Ms. Real-Martin briefed the minister on ACCA’s global initiatives in professional and talent development and reiterated the organization’s support for Pakistan’s skills and economic priorities.

She highlighted opportunities to develop Pakistan’s shared services ecosystem by leveraging its talent pool through focused skills development, professional training and institutional cooperation.

The ACCA delegation also discussed its engagement with the government on public financial management, including capacity building, management reporting and the transition from cash-based to accrual accounting.

ACCA expressed its willingness to support public-sector institutions in improving operating models, people, processes and technology, particularly in digitalization, transparency and tax administration.

The meeting also covered measures to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with Senator Aurangzeb emphasizing capacity building and improved access to finance.

He stressed the importance of making SMEs more bankable by improving financial management, documentation and cash-flow visibility, while facilitating affordable access to professional expertise and commercial financing.

Ms. Real-Martin highlighted ACCA’s SME-focused initiatives covering professional upskilling, policy and research, access to finance and sustainability practices.

She also pointed to the potential of fractional CFO services, which could allow SMEs to obtain professional financial expertise without maintaining a full-time finance function.

Senator Aurangzeb welcomed greater cooperation in this area, noting that stronger SME financing requires not only increased availability of funds but also better financial capacity and preparedness among businesses.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in professional talent development, SME strengthening, economic transformation and private-sector-led growth.

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