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Islamic Mutual Funds. Kamal Ali Joint Director Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan. Scheme of Presentation. Twofold Role of the Regulator Principles of Fund Operations Regulatory Framework Industry Overview & Trends International Perspective Issues Limiting Industry Size
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Islamic Mutual Funds Kamal Ali Joint Director Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan
Scheme of Presentation • Twofold Role of the Regulator • Principles of Fund Operations • Regulatory Framework • Industry Overview & Trends • International Perspective • Issues Limiting Industry Size • Proposed Way Forward
SECP - Twofold Role • Apex regulator for the capital markets • Three key objectives to ensure market integrity and investor confidence: • Fair, efficient and transparent markets • Investor protection • Minimize systemic risk • Regulatory role important for proper functioning of sector • Developmental role of facilitating industry growth • Ample room for growth (3% of GDP) • SECP has played such role in the past • Desire to perform developmental role with more vigor & focus
Principles of Fund Operations • Funds vital from multiple perspectives • Ability to meet diverse investment needs • Potential to enhance growth & corporate governance of capital markets • Inherent structure of a mutual fund built on: • Trust: Fund Manager entrusted with fiduciary responsibility of making investments in best interest of investors • Profit / loss sharing: value of investment may go up or down - reflective in NAV • Transparent Operations: fees and charges, and performance adequately disclosed. • No leverage: Fund cannot borrow and invest • Shariah-Compliant Investments – For fund to be classified as Islamic
Regulatory Framework • Unified framework for Islamic or Conventional Mutual Funds • Islamic mutual funds to comply with additional requirements: • Shariah-compliant investments; and • Appointment of Shariah Advisor • Some international best practices voluntarily adopted by industry participants: • Shariah Compliance Audit • Cleansing of “Riba contaminated” portfolio through distribution of haram income to approved charities • Inclusion of Shariah Advisor report in the Annual Report
Regulatory Framework • Prevailing regulatory framework adequate and comparable to international standards • Framework contains requisite ingredients for efficient and transparent operations of mutual funds: • Fitness & propriety of sponsors • Fund Manager’s fiduciary responsibility • Independence of trustee and segregation of assets • Adequate disclosure requirements • Categorization of funds • Enforcement in case of non-compliance • Ongoing strengthening upon identification of any gaps or weaknesses
Islamic Fund Types Types of Funds AUM
Issues Limiting Industry Size Demand Side Issues • Lack of investor awareness • Lack of wide distribution networks Supply Side Constraints • Dearth of Shariah-compliant listed companies • Limited investment avenues (corporate sukuks, etc.) • Limited number of funds to meet varying needs of investors Market Infrastructure • Difficulty in fair valuation of illiquid or thinly-traded securities
Proposed Way Forward • Wide-spread investor education and awareness • Extensive campaign to achieve broad-based investor participation • Inculcate a culture for savings among public • Increase investment avenues for shariah-compliant funds: • Provide impetus for listing more shariah-compliant companies • Higher number of corporate sukuks and other shariah-compliant debt securities • Increased participation through BATS • Independent bond pricing agency to value illiquid debt securities • Improved governance of capital markets for better price discovery and better disclosures by listed companies • Strengthening role of participants having an indirect role in mutual funds