Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan was holding talks with several countries for the sale of its fighter jets, citing a surge in international demand following the country’s success against India in the May 2025 armed conflict.
“After Pakistan won the war last year, the demand for Pakistani fighter jets has increased […] many countries are actively engaged with us to acquire the jets,” the premier said while addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet.
Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Haraj, in an interview with the BBC, had also confirmed that Pakistan was in talks with several countries over potential agreements to sell JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.
The minister said negotiations were underway with multiple states for the export of the multi-role combat aircraft, which has been jointly developed by Pakistan and China.
He added that any agreement would require China’s consent, given its role in the development of the JF-17. “These negotiations are taking place and they take some time. Many countries are interested in these aircraft,” the minister said.
Reuters has reported, citing official sources, mentioning talks with Libya, Sudan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia regarding defence agreements, particularly the sale of JF-17 Thunder jets.
However, Minister Raza Haraj avoided naming any country, saying: “These are classified matters. I cannot name any country or say at what level our talks with them are”.
PM Shehbaz further said Pakistan had shown significant economic progress in a short period and that economic stability had been achieved, with the government now focusing on growth-oriented measures.
Referring to the security situation, the prime minister reiterated the government’s resolve to completely eradicate terrorism, saying the security forces were fully committed to eliminating the menace.
He added that seven Danish schools were being established in Balochistan as part of efforts to improve education and development in the province.
The prime minister said Pakistan had made notable strides on the economic front and vowed that the government would now accelerate efforts to ensure sustained development across the country.
Separately, the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SC Financial Technologies LLC, an affiliated entity of World Liberty Financial, to explore using World Liberty’s stablecoin for cross-border transactions.
The Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) said in a statement that a memorandum of understanding with SC Financial Technologies would enable “dialogue and technical understanding around emerging digital payment architectures”.
The announcement of the memorandum came during a visit to Pakistan by Zach Witkoff, son of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and co-founder and chief executive of World Liberty.
Witkoff also met senior Pakistani stakeholders to discuss how countries are approaching secure, compliant, and transparent digital payment infrastructure, including innovations in cross-border settlement and foreign exchange processes.
“Pakistan is rapidly positioning itself as a serious contender in the global digital finance landscape, as World Liberty Financial deepens its engagement with the country to explore next-generation digital payment and cross-border finance innovations,” the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority said in a statement.
Industry observers view World Liberty Financial’s second engagement with Pakistan as a strong indication that the country is being actively evaluated as a potential early-stage partner jurisdiction for exploring new digital payment models, including its stablecoin, USD1, at a time when stable, regulation-aware markets are increasingly sought by global fintech players, it added.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb said: “Pakistan recognises that the future of finance is being shaped today. Our focus is to stay ahead of the curve by engaging with credible global players, understanding new financial models, and ensuring that innovation, where explored, is aligned with regulation, stability, and national interest.”
This momentum, according to the assets authority, builds on earlier engagement between World Liberty Financial and Pakistan, including the signing of a Letter of Intent in April with the Pakistan Crypto Council, led by CEO Bilal Bin Saqib, which laid the groundwork for knowledge-sharing and ecosystem-level dialogue around emerging financial technologies.
During his address to the cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed with World Liberty Financial to explore using World Liberty’s stablecoin for cross-border transactions.
He noted that the agreement would benefit Pakistan’s economy.
World Liberty Financial delegation calls on Field Marshal
A delegation of World Liberty Financial USA led by Mr. Zachary Witkoff, Chief Executive Officer of a leading global Fintech firm, called on Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS & CDF.
The meeting reflected the growing interest of international private investment groups in Pakistan’s evolving economic landscape and also signals rising global confidence in Pakistan’s fintech potential and aims to strengthen financial inclusion and cross border digital finance. Mr Witkoff highlighted the immense economic potential Pakistan holds and lauded the efforts of Pakistan’s leadership in embracing futuristic technologies to realize the full possibilities of its economic prowess.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir welcomed the exchange of views and emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to economic stability, investor confidence, and enabling an environment conducive to responsible private sector participation in national development.