KARACHI — Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has revealed that Pakistan’s real economy may be approaching the $1 trillion mark nearly double the country’s officially recorded economic size.
Speaking at a business session hosted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) in Karachi for a visiting Saudi business delegation, Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is personally steering two of the government’s top reform priorities: comprehensive tax reform and Pakistan’s transition toward a fully digital, cashless economy.
“Pakistan’s recorded GDP stands at around $411 billion, but almost half of our economy remains undocumented,” the minister said. “When you take that into account, the real size of Pakistan’s economy is closer to a trillion dollars.”
He emphasized that the government’s ongoing efforts toward digitization and documentation will play a crucial role in expanding the tax base and achieving long-term fiscal stability.
Aurangzeb underlined that the next phase of Pakistan’s economic growth must be led by the private sector, with the government’s role focused on creating a business-friendly environment. “Our job is to provide the right ecosystem for enterprise, investment, and innovation to thrive,” he said.
Highlighting recent progress, the minister noted that macroeconomic stability has been largely restored and, for the first time in several years, all three major global rating agencies are in alignment on Pakistan’s economic outlook.
He also pointed to the recently approved Pakistan–Saudi Arabia Security Pact, calling it a reflection of the deepening trust and strategic alignment between the two nations. The agreement, he said, lays the groundwork for stronger bilateral trade and investment cooperation in the years ahead.
Touching on Pakistan’s ongoing engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Aurangzeb said that discussions are progressing constructively, with only a few pending technical matters before a likely staff-level agreement is reached in Washington.
“Our focus now is on turning stabilization into sustainable growth,” the minister said, adding that the government’s priorities include boosting exports, improving energy efficiency, and accelerating the digital transformation of key sectors.
“We are entering a new phase,” he remarked. “This is the time for reform, documentation, and investment to move forward together that’s how Pakistan’s true economic potential will be realized.”
