Pakistani asset management firm launches Shariah-compliant energy fund amid reforms

An undated image of logo of Lucky Investments taken from its website.
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Updated 01 January 2026
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Pakistani asset management firm launches Shariah-compliant energy fund amid reforms

  • Lucky Investments Limited says fund will invest across oil, gas, power and renewables
  • Product targets long-term investors as Pakistan’s energy sector reforms gain traction

KARACHI: A Pakistan-based asset management company on Thursday announced the launch of a Shariah-compliant energy equity fund, seeking to tap growing investor interest in the country’s energy sector as the administration in Islamabad pursues gradual reforms to boost supply, efficiency and sustainability.

Lucky Investments Limited’s initiative comes as Pakistan’s energy sector shows signs of renewed activity, driven by rising demand, policy initiatives and an increasing shift toward renewable sources, even as the country continues to grapple with high costs and supply constraints.

Islamic finance has also expanded steadily in Pakistan, creating demand for sector-focused investment products that comply with religious principles.

The Lucky Islamic Energy Fund (LIEF) will invest primarily in Shariah-compliant, listed energy companies across oil and gas exploration and production, refining, power generation and renewable energy, the company said, with the aim of long-term capital growth.

“The energy sector remains central to Pakistan’s economic revival and long-term sustainability,” Mohammad Shoaib, chief executive officer of Lucky Investments Limited, said, adding the fund would give investors a Shariah-compliant way to participate in the sector while aligning investments with faith-based values.

The open-end fund is benchmarked against the KMI-30 Index, which tracks the 30 largest Shariah-compliant companies listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, and is classified as high-risk, making it suitable for investors with a long-term investment horizon.

The fund carries no minimum holding period or redemption penalty.

Lucky Investments said all investments would be overseen by a religious scholar serving as the firm’s Shariah adviser to ensure ongoing compliance with Islamic principles.

The asset manager said it currently manages more than Rs 130 billion ($460 million) in assets under management, positioning it among the fastest-growing asset management companies in the country in 2025.
 


Pakistan hopes US immigrant visa processing will resume after policy review

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Pakistan hopes US immigrant visa processing will resume after policy review

  • State Department has suspended issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries from Jan. 21
  • Pakistan says trade with Iran complies with international law as US announces additional 25 percent tariff

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday it was in contact with US authorities and hoped routine visa processing would resume after Washington completes an internal review of its immigration system that has led to a pause in immigrant visa issuances for several countries, including Pakistan.

The US State Department said on Wednesday it would suspend the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, including Pakistan, from Jan. 21, as President Donald Trump presses ahead with a hard-line immigration agenda centered on financial self-sufficiency.

In an update published on its website, the State Department said it was conducting a comprehensive review of immigration policies to ensure that migrants from what it described as “high-risk” countries do not rely on public welfare in the United States or become a “public charge.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it had taken note of the announcement and was in contact with US authorities to seek clarification on the scope and duration of the move.

“We are in touch with the US authorities to ascertain further details. This is an evolving news that we are following. We understand that this is an internal ongoing process of review of US immigration policies and system,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said.

The spokesperson added that Pakistan viewed the development as part of an internal US policy review and expressed hope that routine visa processing would resume once the review is completed.

Andrabi also addressed Washington’s decision that any country that does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25 percent on any trade with the US, as Washington weighs a response to the situation in Iran which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years.

“This is, again, an evolving story. Pakistan has the trade that takes place between Pakistan and other countries, follows international trade regulations and, of course, international law relevant to those trades,” he said.

He added that Pakistan had taken note of the US announcement and would continue engagement with Washington.

“We will work with the US authorities. Pakistan has had very positive trade in those years with the US and we look forward to culmination of those talks and a mutually beneficial agreement on trade with the US side.” 

During the course of his second term in office, Trump has often threatened and imposed tariffs on other countries over their ties with US adversaries and over trade policies that he has described as unfair to Washington.

Trump’s trade policy is under legal pressure as the US Supreme Court is considering striking down a broad swathe of Trump’s existing tariffs.

Iran exported products to 147 trading partners in 2022, according to World Bank’s most recent data.