Pakistan, Aug. 4 -- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the authorities to swiftly prepare a roadmap for establishing a Private Equity Fund to boost investment in the country, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and drive sustainable economic growth.

Chairing a meeting on promoting private investment and long-term economic development, the prime minister instructed officials to submit a comprehensive roadmap for developing both the public equity market and the private equity fund, saying the initiative would improve access to investment capital and pave the way for greater foreign investment.

Shehbaz said private investment was essential for Pakistan's economic growth, adding that private equity funds could p...