Commerce Desk
Karachi: IBA hosted its Sixth Annual International Conference, “Beyond Polycrisis: Pathways Towards a Sustainable Economic Future,” on 5-6 November 2026. Organized by the IBA Center for Business & Economic Research (CBER) with the World Bank Group and other partners, it brought together scholars, policymakers, industry leaders and students.
Executive Director Dr. S Akbar Zaidi described Pakistan’s economic, climate, population and political challenges as interconnected, noting that growth has long stayed barely above population growth. Dean Yaqoob Khan Bangash cautioned that survival should not be mistaken for progress.
Prof. Adil Najam’s keynote on climate adaptation urged that climate be built into policy on water, health, education and infrastructure. Day one also featured Bank of Punjab chief Zafar Masud, a conversation between Umar Saif and Miftah Ismail, and a sustainability theatre performance.
On day two, Minister Musadik Malik said foreign exchange shortages repeatedly stall growth and urged students to apply their education to national challenges. Senator Sherry Rehman estimated that renewables helped Pakistan avoid about USD 12 billion in fuel and LNG imports between 2018 and 2026, and encouraged young people, especially women, to claim a public voice.
Panels covered jobs, evidence-based policymaking, water conflicts, AI in economic policy and flood losses, alongside a Grand Dialogue on trade reforms and parallel research sessions.
