WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived here in Washington on Sunday to attend the 2025 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB), running from Oct 13 to 18.
The meetings bring together global finance ministers, central bankers, and development leaders, offering Pakistan a crucial platform to secure the next IMF tranche, advance economic reforms, and engage international partners on growth, investment, and resilience.
The annual meetings are the world’s premier forum for addressing global economic challenges, financial stability, and development strategies.
Pakistan’s participation is particularly significant as it seeks to implement structural reforms, manage fiscal and debt pressures, and reassure investors and multilateral lenders of its policy credibility.
A member of the IMF since 1950, Pakistan has entered over twenty lending arrangements, reflecting both its need for external support and the IMF’s stabilising role during crises. The World Bank has similarly supported Pakistan in energy, transport, human capital, social protection, and climate resilience projects. These long-standing engagements have provided vital assistance, though they require the country to meet challenging fiscal and structural conditions.
Key agenda items
Pakistani officials in Washington told media representatives that during the 2025 meetings, the delegation will focus on securing the third IMF tranche and meeting remaining programme benchmarks besides presenting verified flood-related loss estimates, with provincial contributions aligned to federal targets. Additionally, World Bank projects on climate adaptation, digitalisation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) along with infrastructure development; and engaging investors and rating agencies to strengthen confidence in Pakistan’s economic management will come under discussion.
The annual meetings provide Pakistan with a platform to demonstrate reform commitment, secure multilateral support, and signal stability to investors and international partners. Outcomes from these discussions, particularly the staff-level agreement with the IMF, will be key to sustaining economic stability and guiding the country’s growth trajectory in the coming year.
Earlier, the finance ministry provided details of Mr Aurangzeb’s six-day visit that includes more than 65 meetings, forums, and official engagements, APP added. He is expected to hold meetings with senior officials of the IMF, WB, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
He is expected to meet WB President Ajay Banga in a one-on-one session and attend a dinner hosted by Mr Banga for finance ministers of selected countries. He would also meet IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva during engagements on the sidelines of meetings of the G24 and MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan) countries, where he would deliver a keynote address.
The minister is also scheduled to participate in a regional roundtable on the digital transformation of Pakistan’s tax system, organised by the World Bank. He would take part in two events hosted by the World Economic Forum and hold bilateral meetings with finance ministers of China, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan.
His schedule also includes meetings with senior White House officials, members of the US Congress including the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee, and representatives from the US State Department, Treasury Department, and the International Development Finance Corporation.
He will also engage with the US-Pakistan Business Council to discuss investment opportunities, and meet global credit rating agencies and commercial and investment banks, particularly those from the Middle East.
In addition to his other engagements, the finance minister is also expected to give interviews to selected international and US media outlets during the visit.
Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2025
