Building on the momentum of the Pakistan Banking Summit 2025, the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) recently hosted an exclusive high-level dialogue featuring Dr. Salman Ahmed, Global Head of Macro and Strategic Asset Allocation at Fidelity International. The session brought together an influential circle of senior banking executives and policy architects for an in-depth examination of the evolving global macroeconomic order and its potential consequences for Pakistan’s strategic and economic outlook.
Dr. Ahmed’s session provided a macro-strategic lens on the shifting global balance of power, driven by accelerating geopolitical reconfigurations, realignments in economic influence, and the emergence of new growth centers across Asia and the Global South. Highlighting the underlying forces that are reshaping trade flows, capital markets, and investment priorities, he provided a comprehensive overview of how these transformations could intersect with Pakistan’s ambitions for economic resilience and sustainable development.
Against the backdrop of escalating global tensions, economic fragmentation, and growing regional competition, the session served as a timely forum for Pakistan’s banking leadership to reflect on how macroeconomic headwinds and strategic recalibrations in global finance could shape the country’s growth trajectory over the next decade. The discussion centered around risk scenarios, the opportunities embedded in the reconfiguration of global supply chains, and the increasing relevance of regional cooperation in securing long-term economic stability.
The strategic gathering was attended by key figures from Pakistan’s banking landscape, including Zafar Masud, Yousaf Hussain, Atif Bajwa, Rehmat Hasnie, Rizwan Ata, Muhammad Atif Hanif, Amir Khan, Nauman Ansari, Kamran Zaidi, Muhammad Nauman Chughtai, Muhammad Jawaid Iqbal, Nassir S., Khurram Shahzad Khan, Irfan Siddiqui, Basir Shamsie, and Muhtashim Ahmed Ashai.
Representatives from a wide array of institutions participated in the session, reaffirming the sector’s collective commitment to thought leadership and forward-looking strategy. These included HBL, National Bank of Pakistan, UBL – United Bank Limited, Meezan Bank Limited, MCB Bank Limited, Bank AL Habib Limited, Allied Bank Limited, Askari Bank, Faysal Bank Limited, Standard Chartered, Soneri Bank Limited, Silkbank Limited, Mashreq, MCB Islamic Bank Ltd., BankIslami Pakistan Limited, ICBC Ltd Pakistan Operations, Easypaisa Digital Bank, Mobilink Bank, The Bank of Punjab, Bank Alfalah Limited, JS Bank, Al Baraka Bank Pakistan Ltd., Habib Metropolitan Bank (a subsidiary of AG Zurich), and First Women Bank Limited.
The PBA’s initiative in curating such a high-impact dialogue underscores the growing recognition among Pakistan’s financial leadership of the need to stay agile, informed, and strategically aligned with global macroeconomic transformations. The insights shared by Dr. Ahmed have added crucial context for ongoing discussions on how Pakistan’s banking system can adapt and contribute to national policy priorities amidst global uncertainty.
By facilitating access to international expertise and fostering platforms for cross-sector dialogue, PBA continues to play a pivotal role in enabling Pakistan’s financial institutions to navigate complexity, anticipate future shifts, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s broader economic goals.