Azerbaijan has indicated a strong appetite to invest close to $2 billion in Pakistan, with energy, oil and gas, and minerals and mining emerging as priority sectors, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday. The remarks were made during separate interviews with Azerbaijan’s leading news agency REPORT and Russia’s prominent agency RIA Novosti, where the finance minister outlined Pakistan’s broader strategy to attract investment-led growth and strengthen regional economic integration.
Speaking to REPORT, Senator Aurangzeb said Pakistan’s long-standing government-to-government relationship with Azerbaijan is now translating into concrete economic engagement, with trade and investment flows gaining momentum. He disclosed that discussions are underway on multiple potential projects, including a possible oil pipeline investment being explored by Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company SOCAR. According to the minister, these engagements are progressing steadily and reflect growing investor confidence in Pakistan’s economic direction.
The finance minister emphasized that any financial support or lending from Azerbaijan would be structured to facilitate trade and productive investment rather than traditional aid. Pakistan, he said, prefers sustainable financing models that are linked to economic activity, such as project-based funding or central bank placements that directly support Azerbaijani investors operating in Pakistan. This approach aligns with the government’s objective of fostering long-term growth while avoiding unsustainable debt accumulation.
Beyond traditional sectors, Senator Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan’s interest in learning from Azerbaijan’s experience in digital services. He pointed to opportunities in technology-led service centres, artificial intelligence, fintech and cybersecurity, noting that Pakistan is moving steadily toward a digital economy supported by improved payment systems and expanding digital infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the minister stressed the importance of South-South cooperation at a time when the global trading system is under pressure. He noted that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Azerbaijan remains below its true potential and called for the development of new trade and transport corridors linking Pakistan with Central Asia and the Caucasus. To support this ambition, he underscored the need for financial instruments such as guarantees, export credit mechanisms, stronger banking linkages and Islamic finance tools.
In his interview with RIA Novosti, Senator Aurangzeb reiterated Pakistan’s desire to join the BRICS grouping, highlighting the country’s active role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and its potential contribution to the BRICS framework. He acknowledged ongoing global discussions around alternative cross-border payment systems and said Pakistan would explore such mechanisms as its engagement with BRICS deepens.
On the domestic front, the finance minister said macroeconomic stability remains the government’s top priority, as investor confidence depends on currency stability, profit repatriation and overall economic certainty. He noted that Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are steadily improving and approaching coverage of nearly three months of imports, which he described as a basic requirement for investor assurance.
Addressing digital assets, Senator Aurangzeb said the State Bank of Pakistan is evaluating digital currencies in light of significant local participation in crypto-related activity. The government aims to bring the sector into a regulated framework through a proposed virtual assets regulatory authority, while carefully managing risks related to capital flows and compliance.
He also highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across agriculture, finance, healthcare and digital infrastructure, adding that Pakistan’s large freelancer base could see productivity and income gains from AI adoption. On regional connectivity, the minister emphasized trade corridors such as the International North-South Transport Corridor and identified energy, mining and industrial cooperation, including a potential steel plant, as key areas of collaboration with Russia.
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