Financing options for aircraft and projects

As reported by Reuters, Khurram Schehzad, an adviser to Pakistan’s finance minister, said in a post on X on Sunday that Aurangzeb’s discussions included potential U.S. Export-Import Bank support for Boeing aircraft for privatised Pakistan International Airlines, refinery upgrades and Reko Diq.

Schehzad said the government is helping PIA access financing and suppliers, but is not buying aircraft itself and has announced no sovereign guarantee or taxpayer-funded loan.

He added that U.S. EXIM could secure financing against the aircraft and assess the creditworthiness of the airline or a lessee, meaning a sovereign guarantee is not automatic.

Implications for Pakistan’s privatisation and investment plans

The discussions point to Pakistan’s effort to line up commercial and export credit support for assets linked to its aviation, energy and mining sectors. For PIA, access to aircraft financing could be an important element as the government pursues privatisation of the carrier.

The inclusion of refinery upgrades and Reko Diq also shows the breadth of projects Pakistan is presenting to potential financiers. Reko Diq, located in southwestern Balochistan, is one of the country’s most significant mining developments, while refinery investment is tied to broader industrial and energy capacity needs.

Azerbaijan’s $10 billion-plus investment agreements and new energy deals were the focus of our earlier coverage, highlighting how Baku is attracting capital to expand production and strengthen its role as a regional supplier and transit hub. The package included a final investment decision to develop the Absheron gas field and a new production-sharing agreement for unconventional hydrocarbons in the Middle Kura basin, alongside broader plans to grow export capacity and diversify the economy.

Source: Tradersunion