DAVOS, SWITZERLAND: Pakistan’s economic resurgence and global aspirations were thrust into the international spotlight as the “Inspiring Pakistan” Forum unfolded at the Pakistan Pavilion on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
Curated by the Pathfinder Group, the high-caliber forum served as a strategic platform to project Pakistan as a confident, reform-driven, and opportunity-rich destination for global investment.
Designed to recalibrate international perceptions, the forum underscored Pakistan’s economic dynamism, reform momentum, and growing strategic relevance in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
Hosted by business leader Zarrar Sehgal, the event convened an eminent assembly of national and international figures:
Sameer Chishty – Executive Chairman, AsiaPak Investments
Dr. Huma Baqai – Senior Vice Chairperson KCFR & Rector, Millennium Institute of Technology Entrepreneurship (MiTE)
Dr. Urs Lustenberger – President, SwissCham ASIA
Michael Kugelman – Senior Fellow for South Asia, The Atlantic Council
Adam Weinstein – Deputy Director at Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Abu Bakar – Former Chief Executive Officer, Pakistan Software Export Board
John DeBlasio – Chairman, Continuity Global Solutions & Executive Chairman, DT Global
Arsen Tomsky – Founder & CEO, inDrive
Farhan Ahmed – Project Director CITADEL, Air Cdre (Retd)
Bilal Lakhani – Publisher, The Express Tribune
Muhammad Farid Alam – CEO, AKD Securities Limited
Dr. Salma Malik – Director External Linkage, Defence and Strategic Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University
Dr. Marc Siegel – Director of Global Security and Resilience Projects, SDSU
Hend Alhinnawi – Executive Director and CEO, Humanitarian Tracker
Ikram Sehgal – Co-Chairman, Pathfinder Group (Vote of Thanks)
Addressing the forum, Sameer Chishty delivered a robust endorsement of Pakistan’s investment landscape, declaring AsiaPak Investments to be “maximum bullish” on the country’s long-term prospects.
“Our conviction is forged through more than a decade of deploying real capital our own and that of our partners across Pakistan,” Chishty said. “We have successfully acquired and operated ten companies across diverse sectors and provinces, reinforcing our belief that compelling opportunities exist nationwide.”
Chishty revealed that AsiaPak has invested $4 billion in Pakistan over the past ten years, with a forward-looking investment pipeline of $5 billion. He attributed this confidence to the government’s reform trajectory, fiscal prudence, and improving macroeconomic fundamentals.
The forum concluded with visionary remarks by Ikram Sehgal, who emphasized Pakistan’s strategic geography and youthful demographic dividend as critical drivers of sustainable development.
The overarching objective of the initiative is to catalyze foreign investment, stimulate job creation, and reinforce global confidence in Pakistan’s economic direction. Participants were briefed on Pakistan’s emergence as a high-potential economy, offering expansive opportunities for integration into global value chains.
