Islamabad: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met today at the Finance Division with a delegation from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), led by Mr. Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, Director Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Ms. Naz Khan, Acting Country Manager for IFC Pakistan.
The meeting focused on strengthening strategic cooperation between Pakistan and IFC, with an emphasis on mobilizing private investment, advancing public-private partnerships (PPPs), and supporting reforms to promote sustainable growth and job creation.
The IFC delegation briefed the Finance Minister on its expanding engagement in Pakistan, highlighting progress in local-currency financing, private sector investments, and sustainability-oriented advisory initiatives. Particular attention was given to IFC's role in supporting PPP frameworks, including projects aimed at improving urban services, resource efficiency, and infrastructure performance through private sector participation and modern technology.
Discussions also covered collaboration with federal and provincial institutions to enhance project preparation, strengthen governance, and attract private capital in key service sectors. Both sides emphasized the importance of timely execution of approved transactions and maintaining momentum in the investment pipeline to reinforce market confidence.
The meeting further reviewed coordination within the World Bank Group to leverage advisory, financing, and risk-mitigation instruments in support of Pakistan's reform priorities. The IFC delegation shared updates on organizational arrangements to strengthen engagement with Pakistan and the wider region, which were welcomed by the Minister.
Senator Aurangzeb outlined the government's focus on creating enabling ecosystems rather than direct intervention, particularly in sectors with strong potential for employment generation and foreign exchange earnings, including digital and IT economy, agriculture and agri-value chains, minerals and mining, healthcare, and skills-based human capital exports. He emphasized that technology adoption, regulatory strengthening, and private sector leadership are key to improving productivity and competitiveness.
Both sides agreed to align investment and advisory support with Pakistan's medium-term development priorities, focusing on job creation, sustainability, and export-oriented growth. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration, accelerate implementation of priority initiatives, and continue structured engagement to unlock private investment and support inclusive economic growth in Pakistan.