Aurangzeb leads Pakistan delegation to IMF and World Bank meetings
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb departed for Bangkok on Saturday to lead Pakistan's delegation to the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, which the Finance Ministry said will run from 12 to 18 October. He is expected to take part in more than 60 high-level engagements, with representatives from 191 countries due to discuss global economic challenges and development priorities.
According to the ministry, discussions with senior IMF and World Bank Group officials will focus on Pakistan's economic outlook, its ongoing reform programme, private sector development and future cooperation. Aurangzeb is also scheduled to meet the International Finance Corporation and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, engagements the ministry described as aimed at strengthening Pakistan's economic partnerships and supporting its development priorities.
The minister will also meet representatives of major international financial institutions, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Saudi Fund for Development and the OPEC Fund for International Development, and will attend discussions involving regional finance ministers and central bank governors. Bilateral meetings with Saudi Arabia, China, Turkiye, Iran, the United Kingdom and Thailand are to cover trade, investment and development cooperation, while talks with officials from the US Department of the Treasury will address bilateral economic ties.
The ministry said Aurangzeb will also take part in investor forums, investment seminars and roundtable discussions with international financial institutions, and will meet Alibaba International Digital Commerce to discuss Pakistan's digital economy, e-commerce and investment opportunities.
It said Pakistan's objective is to move from macroeconomic stabilisation towards sustainable, investment-led and export-driven growth. Aurangzeb is to present the country's reform progress to Fitch Ratings, Moody's and S&P Global and to discuss the economic outlook with international investors and media organisations. The government's stated aims include strengthening investor confidence, expanding exports, attracting private investment, creating jobs and improving financial inclusion.
