WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muha­mmad Aurangzeb depar­ted from Islamabad for Washington on Sunday to attend the annual meetings of IMF and the World Bank Group, the Pakistan Embassy announced.

Mr Aurangzeb was initially expected to arrive in the US capital on Sunday, but he delayed his trip by a day to attend a session of Senate. The house proceeding included a vote on a constitutional amendment bill, which required his presence as a member of the Senate.

A diplomatic source exp­lained, “The situation in Islamabad is quite clear. His participation was necessary for the voting process, where every vote matters.”

Mr Aurangzeb will now reach Washington on Monday afternoon, missing the inaugural meetings and the first day’s sessions, including key discussions on environmental changes impacting Pakistan.

The finance minister is leading a delegation comprising the finance secretary, the economic affairs secretary, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, and other senior officials. They will engage in high-level talks with IMF and World Bank officials during their week-long visit.

The agenda includes bilateral meetings with counterparts from China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and other friendly nations, as well as discussions with senior US Treasury Dep­artment officials. The IMF and World Bank meetings are set to run from Oct 21 to Oct 26.

Published in Dawn, October 21th, 2024