ISLAMABAD, May 12: World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn arrived here on Sunday on a five-day official visit to Pakistan, to evaluate the impact of the bank’s work in Pakistan, effectiveness of the bank’s operations and how its mission of poverty reduction is being implemented in the country.

He is accompanied by his wife, Elaine.

They are scheduled to visit the development projects and meet government leaders, communities involved in development work, in Islamabad, and a number of other areas, including the NWFP.

During the visit, Wolfensohn will evaluate the impact of the bank’s work and how its mission of poverty reduction is being implemented here and evaluate the effectiveness of the bank’s operations.

He will assess how the WB and Pakistan government can work together to improve the performance of the bank, and agree with the Pakistan authorities on the strategic role of the World Bank Group in future to help accelerate poverty reduction.

In Islamabad, Wolfensohn will meet President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and the key members of the government’s economic reform team.

He will also meet the NWFP governor, top government officials, elected local government representatives and community leaders in the areas on his itinerary to explore how the World Bank can support efforts to improve access to social services, specially for the poor and women.

Wolfensohn and Elaine will meet a wide range of members of civil society in the course of their visit, said the WB sources. They will also visit a number of rural and urban sites to observe development projects, and interact with community leaders.

Among other things, they will focus on elementary education, particularly among girls, and empowerment at the grassroots level through decentralization and community mobilization.

They will also focus on communities who set and implement their own development priorities such as community driven small infrastructure projects in remote areas, the sources added.—APP