World Bank CEO pledges to 'further strengthen cooperation with Pakistan'
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World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva on Friday pledged to further strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in the areas of 'disbursements programme lending' and 'guarantees provision for raising external funds' , according to a press release received by Dawn.com.
The pledge was made in a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in Beijing.
According to the press release, issued by the Pakistani embassy in Beijing, the premier was accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the PM's Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, and Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood for his meeting with the World Bank CEO.
PM Imran informed the World Bank CEO of recent steps taken by the government to improve the economic and fiscal situation of Pakistan.
As per the press release, he appreciated the role played by the World Bank in "regional connectivity, poverty alleviation, financial management, provisional projects, Dasu and other infrastructure projects and ease of doing business."
Additionally, the premier told Georgieva about the socio-economic uplift measures that the government has taken and about the creation of 'Ehsas', the PTI's flagship social welfare programme.
Read: 'Ehsas': PM Khan launches ambitious social safety, poverty alleviation programme
The premier also met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde on the sidelines of the BRF.
The prime minister had arrived in China yesterday on a four-day official visit. Earlier today in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the second BRF, he called for greater attention towards tackling climate change and poverty as Pakistan and China enter the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
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Apr 26, 2019 04:21pm
Hope we get another big package.
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Apr 26, 2019 04:21pm
It is wonderful For PM Imran Khan to discuss issues with World Bank Chief in China to resolve any misunderstanding about CPEC and economic relations between Pakistan & China
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Apr 26, 2019 04:28pm
'Further strengthen Cooperation' Why in inverted comma. Does that mean more loans on tougher conditions.
IMF's conditions seems non-viable anyway.
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Apr 26, 2019 04:29pm
The former Finance Minister of PPP along with the Musharraf aide is sitting next to PM Imran Khan. This is the change Imran has promised to us. The same status quo is maintained as usual.
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Apr 26, 2019 04:30pm
Local industries is the need of the hour Auto manufacturing how to build engines its time we embrace the Iron Age.
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Apr 26, 2019 05:04pm
Who has to cooperate with stringent rule? World bank or pakistan?
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Apr 26, 2019 05:14pm
Imran khan respected by International community and all stepping forward to help.
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Apr 26, 2019 05:17pm
Further cooperation means more loan, more interest. Pakistan is good customer.
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Apr 26, 2019 05:18pm
From his looks, he doesnt seem to have any idea what the lady in blue is saying
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Apr 26, 2019 05:24pm
World bank is for business. No free lunch, no free money.
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Apr 26, 2019 05:54pm
Please tell us how much more loan we are getting.
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Apr 26, 2019 06:04pm
Pakistan's failing economy perfect for western banks to takeover.
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Apr 26, 2019 06:22pm
IK meetings in China are only with lenders.
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Apr 26, 2019 06:50pm
All sweet talks but no trust. Hence, they don't give money. We need a drastic change in us.
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Apr 26, 2019 06:54pm
Some good and positive signals from World Bank. P M shows leadership...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
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Apr 26, 2019 07:20pm
The way PM shook hands and moved forward while the MD IMF was looking at him, was absolutely not courteous.
IK has to learn the diplomatic norms quickly.
By the way, a kind suggestion:
If he intends to meet Donald Trump, IK has to hold the hands very tight with him, Trump jerks the hands of the worlds leaders too hard. google how he jerked the hands of Canadian and French leaders :)
Gordon E. Walker - SA.
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Apr 26, 2019 07:40pm
Insanity is doing the same thing with the same people over-n-over again and expecting different result.
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Apr 26, 2019 07:53pm
Again, in order to move the economy, Pak must invest in infrastructure i.e. roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports and bus stations together with law and order and introduction of minimum wage for all job levels i.e. hourly as well as salary. When goods and people can move freely from one place to another without fear all over Pak and people make good money and have full confidence that law is there to protect them then the economy and everything else with it automatically moves/improves.
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Apr 26, 2019 07:59pm
I wonder when Pakistani men started shaking hand with females. If I can still remember it correctly none shook hands with opposite gender till I was in Pakistan up to 1976. PM Imran stretching hand to shake hand with Christine Lagarde, MD, IMF is a new news to me. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait
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Apr 26, 2019 08:05pm
@Amit, And you do, from just looking at the photo??
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Apr 26, 2019 08:05pm
Package strong
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Apr 26, 2019 08:26pm
Why are people so happy....this is there to get the loan which he against through out his campaign.....now he is literally chasing them for money....and people are admiring his leadership......what sort of people are you???...
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Apr 26, 2019 08:29pm
hurray more loan more loan for bread and butter
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Apr 26, 2019 08:30pm
Hope this is the last time with IMF ever if this will eventualy be.
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Apr 26, 2019 08:41pm
Impressive PM IK is totally involved and brief of IMF, the new FM experience will results in getting a best possible loan with workable demands ! One thing is sure the funds will be used for Pakistan ,because the new PM is not interested in his own wealth building. Plus,new FM will try to put in solid economic plans for Pakistan !
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Apr 26, 2019 08:53pm
@Mohsin Malik, No Mohsin Malik, it is not business as usual. What the PM is doing is: No matter if you belong to an opposition party, or if you were in some other prior government, if you have a good track record and you are a doer, we will seek your assistance in bringing Pakistan forward; and that is the beauty of his management style.
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Apr 26, 2019 08:57pm
@aslam khan, Really? You must be the only genious with this convoluted logic!
Would you buy a failing business?
Why would foreign bankers be interested in lending to Pakistan or restructure the outstanding loans, if the country's economy was failing? How would these bank recoup their investment then??
PML-N disgruntled and rejected underlings are busy trying to fine holes in everything IK is doing. But they don't seem to have the grey matter to ask:
"Why does Pakistan need further loans? Who left the country is such dire straits? What happened to all the money that was previously borrowed by the previous government?
Does Ishaq Dar and Nawaz Sharif et al, ring any bells??
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Apr 26, 2019 09:43pm
@Mohsin Malik, you guys are never happy. Btw Hafeez Sheikh is not a PPP leader. He is a Pakistani technocrat whose services can be used by any party in govt.
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Apr 26, 2019 10:59pm
Seems IMF loan was almost declined therefore Asad has to go and now IKnis negotiating directly so that IMF can change its stance.
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Apr 26, 2019 11:28pm
@Lida, they will add more loan in next four adds.
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Apr 26, 2019 11:43pm
I am kind of surprised that he did not raise atrocities in Kashmir and India building dams and blocking rivers with the world bank chief. Therefore, I will call this meeting unsuccessful.
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Apr 27, 2019 12:15am
@Mahmood, A picture is worth a thousand words.
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Apr 27, 2019 12:19am
@Jamil Kaludi, If they had a good track record after serving in previous governments, why would Pakistan be where it is today?
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Apr 27, 2019 12:33am
@Maria enteparia onnuchoriu,
All packages we get need to be returned in a future years - with interest!
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Apr 27, 2019 12:50am
No more loans pleaseeeeeee. Raise taxes and cut imports answer is so simple. Invest in energy market ASAP.
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Apr 27, 2019 01:04am
@Amrud Ali, And you can hear the words being spoken by two people, just by glancing at the photos?
It is NOT a video, with sound recording, dude!
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Apr 27, 2019 02:01am
In spite of Indian lobbyists false and flimsy propaganda, they are left with no other choice but to further, cement, reinforce and consolidate more and better cooperation and understanding with the fertile land inhabited by 225 million talented, hardworking and brave people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
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Apr 27, 2019 02:15am
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi, what nonsense are you talking about. What kind of world have you been living in. Not shaking hand with the opposite member of the sex is a religious traditional originating from middle east. Pakistan has leaders going back to Jinnah, Ayub who were happily greeting members of opposite sex.
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Apr 27, 2019 02:28am
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi, That's for people who cannot control their desires, so you refrain, otherwise, no problems.
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Apr 27, 2019 02:37am
@Chowkidar kamal, "he did not raise atrocities in Kashmir and India building dams and blocking rivers with the world bank chief."
WB Chief is not dumb to believe all these stories. India sought clearance from WB on Kishanganga dam and built it.
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Apr 27, 2019 04:08am
IMF's terms and conditions do not change. It is Pakistan who needs IMF. IMF does not need Pakistan.
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Apr 27, 2019 04:42am
@Gordon E. Walker, Who is Donald Trump? He better learn to be courteous as totally dependent on Pakistan to save his face in Afghanistan where US lost bitterly.
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Apr 27, 2019 05:12am
@Masood Wazir, Absolutely. PM IK met CEO WB, MD IMF, both meetings fruitful, and promising. As regards CPEC apprehension MD IMF may be requested to engage with host country China, and clear all misunderstandings.
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Apr 27, 2019 05:17am
For those who followed the PTI story carefully it was amply clear that the unsatisfactory progress of discussions with the IMF cost Umer his job. The proof comes now when the boss himself is on the same job. Guess what happens when he himself fails.
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Apr 27, 2019 06:43am
What does it mean?
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Apr 27, 2019 07:40am
@kamal, don't get excited...It's one loan to pay of another....what is surprising though is.... that the IK govt is running after those monetary bodies which it criticized before coming to power.
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Apr 27, 2019 11:06am
@Smirnak, Now here is one sane Pakistani who knows the crux of the problem Pakistan is going through today. If only all those 'apparently' educated. and smart people could emulate him!!!
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Apr 27, 2019 11:14am
@Marcus, Why aren't there more people like you writing in these columns?
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Apr 27, 2019 11:23am
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi, I think that is a 'non issue!!
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Apr 28, 2019 02:41am
Ehat you guys are witnessing is a charismatic statesman and legend..he exhumes an aora that has everyones attention in his presence and lingers in his aftermath. Hope this great Khan leaves a worthy legacy for world progress and peace.
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Apr 28, 2019 03:24am
So our PM has finally caved to the same things he predecessors did. The World Bank is half the reason why we are in debt. We cant even afford the interest payments and now we are asking for money/loan?
Very disappointing.
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