WB urges Pakistan to shift from stability to growth

Dawn · 24/10/2026، 2:08:57 AM

WORLD Bank official Sandeep Mahajan meets Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.—X/ @Financegovpk • Calls for stronger investment, private sector activity • Aurangzeb stresses need to strengthen investor confidence ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a push towards accelerating growth, the World Bank has advised Pakistan to move from stabilisation to sustainable growth, with a focus on strengthening investment and private sector activity. This marks the second such endorsement from the international financial institution, which recently commended Pakistan’s stabilisation programme and urged a shift towards sustainable growth to generate employment opportunities for the youth. The IMF has also offered similar advice to Islamabad at a recent workshop on tax reforms. World Bank Regional Practice Director for the Prosperity Vertical for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) Sandeep Mahajan met Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday. He was accompanied by Country Director Bolor­maa Amgaabazar and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Division Director Simon Andrews. An official statement said the meeting discussed Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, the transition from stabilisation to sustainable growth and priorities for strengthening inve­stment and private sector activity. Mr Mahajan congratulated Pakis­tan on restoring macroeconomic stability and commended the government’s management of the recent crisis arising from regional conflict. He noted that buffers built through stabilisation efforts and a timely policy response had helped Pakistan manage external pressures. World Bank representatives emphasised the importance of sustaining these gains through continued reforms and effective implementation. Mr Aurangzeb said the government’s priority was to make macroeconomic stability durable and translate it into sustainable, investment-led and export-driven growth. He said that Pakistan had regained access to international capital markets, i