Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Karandaaz Pakistan, in partnership with The ADB Institute (ADBI) and the Resident Mission of Asian Development Bank (ADB), has organized the Pakistan Innovative Finance Forum in Islamabad.
The two-day event aims to share knowledge and pool innovative ideas for promoting private sector-driven infrastructure financing in Pakistan, and identify ways to enhance financing access among Pakistan’s SMEs.
Some of the desired outcomes of the event include but are not limited to increased public- and private-sector dialogue on infrastructure and SME finance, creation of innovative financing solutions, and education on global best practices.
The two days of the event are exploring innovative ways of leveraging private funds for investment in infrastructure and SMEs, case studies of credit enhancement structures for infrastructure projects and innovative financing for SMEs, and public-private partnership development within the sectors.
Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson Karandaaz Pakistan and Former Governor State Bank of Pakistan, said, “Pakistan Innovative Finance Forum, a partnership of Karandaaz, Asian Development Bank Institute and Asia Development Bank, is a unique platform to reflect on the ecosystem of financing for sustainable development and growth.
Infrastructure and SME development lie at the nexus of economic growth, productive investment, job creation, and poverty reduction. To enable these sectors to grow, access to financing is vital but it can be only leveraged provided the legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks are supportive of nurturing a strong eco system that offers confidence to investors and generates jobs.”
