Karachi leaders call for investor-ready reforms as ACCA advances green finance and global capability agenda
Pakistan must strengthen policy execution, institutional capacity and investor confidence to unlock its next phase of economic growth, business leaders said today at the Karachi conference of the 8th Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) 2026), convened by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Held in Pakistan’s financial capital, the Karachi conference brought together senior business leaders, investors and policymakers to focus on green finance, responsible investment and Pakistan’s transition towards global capability centres.
Providing a global perspective, Melanie Proffitt, President of ACCA, highlighted the central role of finance professionals in enabling sustainable growth.
“Sustainable growth depends on the quality of decision-making that underpins investment, technology and risk,” said Melanie Proffitt. “Finance and accountancy professionals are critical in translating sustainability commitments into credible action, strengthening trust with investors and supporting organisations as they scale responsibly.”
Opening the conference, Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, said the Karachi discussions reflected a clear shift from intent to delivery.
“Karachi sits at the heart of Pakistan’s investment and financial ecosystem,” said Assad Hameed Khan. “Green finance, robust governance and global capability building are no longer future ambitions. They are immediate priorities for sustaining investor confidence and long-term growth.”
The Karachi agenda featured a dedicated session on practical lessons on GHG data collection and reporting moderated by Omar Niaz Rizvi, Partner, IQ Capital. The panel comprised of Maha Qasim, Founder & CEO, Zero-Point Partners, Sadia Khan, Former Commissioner, SECP / Board Member, PICG, Syed Ahson Ali Shah – Head of ESG Decarbonisation & FRRA, KPMG Pakistan and Umar Ahsan Khan, CEO, Dawlance.
Subsequent sessions examined responsible investment from investors’ perspectives and Pakistan’s transition from business process outsourcing to global capability centres, highlighting opportunities for skills development, value creation and international competitiveness.
Zulfikar Ali Causer, Managing Partner, BDO Pakistan, set the scene with his keynote address, which was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Hena Sadiq, Partner, Yousuf Adil Chartered Accountants. Panellists included Moneeza Butt, Partner, KPMG Pakistan, Nasir Vohra, Managing Director & Partner, EY Rapid Innovation, Taha Baqai, Partner Tax, A.F.Ferguson & Co., Ted Prittie – CEO, RIM Incorporated & Director, DATArecall, and Zeeshan Pervez, President, ACEN Shared Services.
The Pakistan Leadership Conversation continues in Islamabad on 22 January, where the focus will shift to policy coherence, climate governance and digital transformation.