Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has stated that recent negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been positive, with only a few issues left to finalize. He expressed confidence that a staff-level agreement will be concluded soon during his upcoming visit to Washington.
Speaking virtually at a business conference in Karachi — attended by a Saudi delegation and jointly hosted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) — the finance minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to private sector–led economic growth and to deepening economic ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Referring to his recent meeting with Prince Mansour and the Saudi delegation at a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Aurangzeb emphasized that the government’s role is to act as a facilitator, while the private sector must take the lead in driving growth. “Our job is to provide an enabling environment,” he noted.
The finance minister highlighted signs of macroeconomic stability, including convergence among major international rating agencies, improved financial conditions, and a stable foreign exchange system. Citing Pakistan’s recent $500 million Eurobond repayment, he remarked that such transactions become routine in a stable economy, without any element of drama.
