#Pakistan

Pakistan in Talks with UAE to Transform $1 Billion Deposit into Direct Investment

ISLAMABAD – In a significant shift toward sustainable economic stability, Pakistan is negotiating with the United Arab Emirates to convert a $1 billion deposit into equity investments in Pakistani companies, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Saturday.

Photo Credit: Arab News

The development follows high-level talks during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to Islamabad. Dar confirmed that the UAE is set to acquire shares in Pakistani firms—including those linked to the Fauji Fertilizer Group—effectively ending Pakistan’s repayment obligation on this portion of funds.

“We are moving from short-term liabilities to long-term investment,” Dar stated during a year-end media briefing. “This conversion into equity means the liability will cease, and the UAE will hold stakes in Pakistani entities.”

The $1 billion deposit is part of a $3 billion financial support package extended by the UAE in recent years to bolster Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and help meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions. The remaining $2 billion in UAE deposits are due for rollover in January, though Pakistan has expressed a preference for converting further debt into investment rather than seeking repeated extensions.

“During discussions with the UAE leadership, we emphasized that investment conversion is more sustainable than recurrent rollovers,” Dar added, noting the UAE’s openness to expanding its investment presence in Pakistan.

The proposed transaction, spearheaded by the Fauji Foundation Group, is expected to be finalized by March 31, 2024. It reflects Pakistan’s broader strategy to replace temporary external borrowing with foreign direct investment (FDI), thereby easing balance-of-payments pressures and reducing debt vulnerabilities.

Pakistan has historically relied on deposit rollovers from allies such as Saudi Arabia, China, and the UAE to manage external account challenges. Economists have long cautioned that while such measures offer immediate relief, they do not address structural economic weaknesses unless supplemented by durable capital inflows.

With this agreement, Pakistan aims to pivot toward longer-term financial stability, signaling a renewed focus on attracting investment rather than accumulating debt. The shift could strengthen investor confidence and support the country’s ongoing economic reform agenda.

Deadly Russian Barrage Strikes Kyiv on Eve

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *