Prioritises e-business promotion, to train 402,060 youth; Reforms to boost investment, modernise industries unveiled
Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday launched the Punjab Innovation, Value Addition and Economic Transformation (PIVOT) Plan 2026–29, a comprehensive Rs1,995.3 billion economic strategy aimed at positioning Punjab as an export-led industrial hub.
The roadmap targets $6.8 billion in incremental exports, 162,000 new direct jobs and support for over one million livelihoods.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said, “Punjab is ready to move towards a new model of economic growth—one driven by industry, innovation, value addition and exports. Our objective is to create an environment where businesses can invest with confidence, industries can expand and our people can access better employment and livelihood opportunities.”
Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government is promoting e-business, providing financial assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises.
The unveiling brought together an unprecedented gathering of leading corporate figures, economic policymakers, international development agencies and diplomats invited by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Prominent business icons including Mian Mansha, Arif Habib, Fawad Mukhtar, Ziad Bashir and Osman Khalid Waheed attended the launch, signalling private-sector engagement with the initiative.
Financial sector leadership was represented by State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad, alongside heads and senior executives of major commercial banks and financial institutions. International participation included foreign ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of key international development partners, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and United Nations organisations.
Senior government figures, led by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, provincial cabinet ministers, administrative secretaries and district focal officers, were also present to outline the government’s operational commitments.
Addressing the business community, the Chief Minister said, “My message to investors and industrialists across Pakistan and around the world is clear: Punjab welcomes your investment. We want to work with you, facilitate your businesses and create the conditions in which enterprise can grow. Government will facilitate, industry will lead.”
A primary pillar of the PIVOT framework is the Strategic Trade Enhancement Programme (STEP), supported by a newly introduced digital portal. Under this mechanism, the government envisages Rs300 billion in concessional financing at rates ranging between zero and five per cent for eligible commercial categories, giving businesses access to lower-cost capital for expansion, subject to programme terms and conditions.
This financing structure forms part of an overall investment framework combining Rs1,089 billion in public investment with a target of Rs906 billion in private-sector investment.
The Chief Minister said, “We are not looking at economic growth as a government-only responsibility. Sustainable growth requires private investment, a strong industrial base and a partnership in which the public sector enables the private sector to innovate, produce and compete. PIVOT is designed to turn that partnership into measurable economic progress.”
The plan directs Rs753.7 billion towards strengthening industrial output, encouraging value addition and building long-term export competitiveness.
To address operational costs and energy challenges, the government has earmarked Rs50 billion for solar power installations and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). An
