Talking to President of World Bank Group David Malpass and his delegation, he said ease of doing business, enhancing tax base, domestic resource mobilization, attracting foreign investment and financial reforms agendas the foremost priority of the government.
President of World Bank was accompanied by Regional VP South Asia Hartwig Schafer, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu-Dutz, Regional Vice President IFC Snezana Stolijkovic and Country Director of World Bank Pakistan Patchamuthu Illangovan.
The Pakistani side comprised of Minister for Economic Affairs Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Advisor on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Advisor on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Sania Nishtar, Governor State Bank Raza Baqir, Chairman of Federal Board of Revenue Syed Shabbar Zaidi and senior officers.
The prime minister, while welcoming the President of World Bank to Pakistan, appreciated World Bank’s financial and technical support to Pakistan.
He apprised that the government had launched various initiatives aimed at welfare of the youth, poverty alleviation and housing sectors that would ultimately result in economic development.
President of World Bank Group, David Malpass lauded Prime Minister Imran Khan for personally spearheading various flagship programmes of the government.
He also recognized the efforts of the government towards economic turn-around, reducing expenditures, practicing austerity and initiating reforms in critical sectors of the economy.
He said there was substantial progress in economic indicators despite global and internal fiscal challenges.
VNS Islamabad
