Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, commenced his engagements at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings 2026 with a series of high-level bilateral meetings and interactions aimed at advancing Pakistan’s economic priorities, strengthening international partnerships, and reinforcing investor confidence.
On the sidelines of the meetings, the Finance Minister held a productive discussion with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer. During the meeting, both sides explored avenues to enhance bilateral trade and investment, including improving market access. They expressed satisfaction with the steady progress in ongoing trade negotiations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to achieving mutually beneficial outcomes and deepening economic cooperation.
Subsequently, the Finance Minister met with World Bank Managing Director (Operations) Anna Bjerde, where he appreciated the World Bank Group’s longstanding support to Pakistan’s reform and development agenda. The discussion focused on Pakistan’s response to the economic implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict, particularly its first- and second-order effects. Both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening social protection mechanisms to safeguard vulnerable populations. Progress under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) was also reviewed, with acknowledgment of key achievements alongside the need for sustained efforts. The Minister further underscored the importance of a coordinated federal-provincial strategy to address Pakistan’s demographic challenges and requested the World Bank’s support in developing a comprehensive Master Plan.
In a separate meeting with Jonathan Greenstein, Deputy Under Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Finance Minister highlighted Pakistan’s successful Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) with the IMF, reiterating the government’s firm commitment to its reform agenda. He noted the timely repayment of Pakistan’s Eurobond obligation of USD 1.3 billion and reaffirmed the country’s resolve to meet all external financial obligations. The two sides also discussed the broader economic implications of the Middle East conflict, including its impact on remittances and the external sector, while exchanging views on measures to strengthen foreign exchange reserves and ensure macroeconomic stability.
The Finance Minister also met with IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop and emphasized the importance of scaling up private sector investment, productivity, and job creation in Pakistan. While appreciating IFC’s role in mobilizing local currency financing and supporting trade finance, he urged greater engagement in developing Pakistan’s capital markets, drawing on global best practices. He further highlighted the need for closer collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Agriculture and commended IFC’s evolving capital mobilization strategy.
During his meeting with Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, the Finance Minister expressed gratitude for ongoing and future development cooperation. He also discussed the implications of the Middle East conflict on global energy security and expressed hope for its peaceful resolution, while reaffirming the strength of bilateral relations.
In his interaction with World Bank Group Vice President Jorge Familiar Calderón, the Finance Minister underscored the critical role of the World Bank Treasury in enhancing access to capital markets and supporting financial innovation. He outlined Pakistan’s diversified financing strategy, including Sukuk, ESG-linked instruments, and expansion into non-traditional markets, alongside efforts to deepen the domestic bond market. He emphasized the importance of technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and capacity building to strengthen Pakistan’s debt management capabilities.
The Finance Minister also held a meeting with Tucker Foote, Chief of Global Affairs and Policy at Mastercard, focusing on advancing digital payments, financial inclusion, and innovation within Pakistan’s fintech ecosystem. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to building a secure and inclusive digital economy, while discussing cybersecurity, cross-border financial flows, and remittances.
In a separate engagement with Ambassador Karan Bhatia, Vice President and Global Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, the Finance Minister appreciated the company’s ongoing initiatives in Pakistan, particularly in artificial intelligence training and capacity building. He also welcomed Google’s milestone achievement in local Chromebook assembly and its planned office opening in Pakistan in July 2026. Discussions centered on expanding collaboration in AI integration across key economic sectors, including agriculture and manufacturing, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda.
Later, the Finance Minister met with Tsutomu Yamamoto, Managing Director of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), where he welcomed MIGA’s proposed short-term trade finance facility of up to USD 500 million. He emphasized its critical role in financing essential imports such as food, fertilizer, energy, and machinery, and requested expedited progress. The Minister also acknowledged ongoing arbitration matters and expressed confidence in MIGA’s facilitation to achieve amicable outcomes while preserving investor confidence.
Additionally, the Finance Minister held a meeting with Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF, along with the IMF mission team for Pakistan. He expressed appreciation for the Staff-Level Agreement and conveyed optimism regarding early Board approval to sustain reform momentum. The Minister highlighted the economic impact of the Middle East crisis, describing it as a significant supply shock, and elaborated on the government’s efforts to manage its broader implications for growth and inflation. Both sides reviewed progress on fiscal and structural reforms and agreed on the importance of maintaining macroeconomic stability as the cornerstone of sustainable and inclusive growth.
On the sidelines of these engagements, the Finance Minister also interacted with U.S. and international media, outlining Pakistan’s economic turnaround under the current government, as well as ongoing efforts to ensure fiscal discipline, enhance investor confidence, and attract greater foreign investment.
