KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) gave a “positive feedback” on Pakistan’s structural reforms program that helped the country achieve macroeconomic stability, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday while addressing an insurance conference in Karachi via video link.
Aurangzeb’s statement comes only a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the World Government Summit in Dubai and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to structural reforms.
The meeting between the two officials came right ahead of the IMF’s upcoming review of Pakistan’s $7 billion loan program, secured in September last year.
A successful review in the coming weeks would release a $1 billion tranche, helping cash-strapped Pakistan boost its foreign exchange reserves and meet the lender’s import cover benchmark.
“We got some a very positive feedback in terms of macroeconomic stability which has been achieved over the last 12 months,” the finance minister said while sharing the details of the meeting between the prime minister and the IMF managing director.
Calling the meeting “constructive and very positive,” he said the top IMF official was appreciative of Pakistan’s commitment to the reform program.
“We are well underway in that program,” Aurangzeb continued.
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office earlier in the day, Sharif recognized the progress made under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which put the country on the path of long-term recovery.
“He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to sustaining the reform momentum, particularly in critical areas such as tax reform, energy sector efficiency and private sector development,” the statement added.
“The Prime Minister assured Ms. Georgieva of Pakistan’s commitment to economic prudence, efficiency and sustainability as essential pillars for achieving inclusive and sustained growth.”
Following the meeting, Georgieva posted on X, formerly Twitter, expressing confidence in Pakistan’s reform trajectory.
“Wonderful to meet [Pakistan’s] Prime Minister @CMShehbaz and his team. I am encouraged by their strong commitment to Pakistan’s IMF-supported reforms and support their decisive actions to pave the way to higher growth and more jobs for Pakistan’s youthful population,” she said.
The meeting between the two officials took place as an IMF mission is currently in Pakistan conducting a governance and corruption diagnostic assessment, part of the broader reform agenda under the EFF.
The IMF’s next review is expected in March, with Pakistan’s government and central bank confident of meeting reform targets required for the loan disbursement.
Pakistan gets ‘positive feedback’ on economic reforms ahead of IMF review — fin min
https://arab.news/g8ehv
Pakistan gets ‘positive feedback’ on economic reforms ahead of IMF review — fin min
- Muhammad Aurangzeb says structural reforms are ‘well underway,’ driving economic stability
- IMF chief says ‘encouraged’ by Pakistan’s commitment to reforms after meeting the premier
Gulf-EU value chain integration signals shift toward long-term economic partnership: GCC secretary general
RIYADH: Value chains between the Gulf and Europe are poised to become deeper and more resilient as economic ties shift beyond traditional trade toward long-term industrial and investment integration, according to the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit 2026 in Dubai, Jasem Al-Budaiwi said Gulf-European economic relations are shifting from simple commodity trade toward the joint development of sustainable value chains, reflecting a more strategic and lasting partnership.
His remarks were made during a dialogue session titled “The next investment and trade race,” held with Luigi Di Maio, the EU’s special representative for external affairs.
Al-Budaiwi said relations between the GCC and the EU are among the bloc’s most established partnerships, built on decades of institutional collaboration that began with the signing of the 1988 cooperation agreement.
He noted that the deal laid a solid foundation for political and economic dialogue and opened broad avenues for collaboration in trade, investment, and energy, as well as development and education.
The secretary general added that the partnership has undergone a qualitative shift in recent years, particularly following the adoption of the joint action program for the 2022–2027 period and the convening of the Gulf–European summit in Brussels.
Subsequent ministerial meetings, he said, have focused on implementing agreed outcomes, enhancing trade and investment cooperation, improving market access, and supporting supply chains and sustainable development.
According to Al-Budaiwi, merchandise trade between the two sides has reached around $197 billion, positioning the EU as one of the GCC’s most important trading partners.
He also pointed to the continued growth of European foreign direct investment into Gulf countries, which he said reflects the depth of economic interdependence and rising confidence in the Gulf business environment.
Looking ahead, Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the economic transformation across GCC states, driven by ambitious national visions, is creating broad opportunities for expanded cooperation with Europe.
He highlighted clean energy, green hydrogen, and digital transformation, as well as artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure, and cybersecurity, as priority areas for future partnership.
He added that the success of Gulf-European cooperation should not be measured solely by trade volumes or investment flows, but by its ability to evolve into an integrated model based on trust, risk-sharing, and the joint creation of economic value, contributing to stability and growth in the global economy.
GCC–EU plans to build shared value chains look well-timed as trade policy volatility rises.
In recent weeks, Washington’s renewed push over Greenland has been tied to tariff threats against European countries, prompting the EU to keep a €93 billion ($109.7 billion) retaliation package on standby.
At the same time, tighter US sanctions on Iran are increasing compliance risks for energy and shipping-related finance. Meanwhile, the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD warn that higher tariffs and ongoing uncertainty could weaken trade and investment across both regions in 2026.
