The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has approved the operationalization of the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF) and its terms of reference, establishing a dedicated mechanism to fund near-term capital market development initiatives aligned with international best practices. The CMDF’s primary objective is to enhance financial literacy and public awareness to better equip retail investors, with secondary goals covering capacity building for market participants and expanded outreach to untapped demographic and geographic segments. Pakistan Stock Exchange, National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited, Central Depository Company and Pakistan Mercantile Exchange will provide PKR 30 million as seed capital and contribute 1% of their annual revenue to support CMDF activities. The Institute of Financial Markets of Pakistan will manage the fund under the supervision of a steering committee comprising representatives from IFMP and the four contributing market institutions, responsible for governance, oversight and strategic direction.