World Bank Managing Director for Operations, Mrs. Anna Bjerde, completed a two-day visit to Pakistan, highlighting the country's reform momentum and emphasizing the importance of ongoing implementation to maintain economic stability. During her visit, she met with Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the new 10-year World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework with Pakistan.
Mrs. Bjerde stated, "Pakistan’s path to sustainable economic recovery and poverty alleviation rests on comprehensive reforms that prioritize human capital, macroeconomic stability, climate resilience, sustainable energy, and private sector growth." She also discussed potential steps in fiscal, digital, and energy sectors aimed at fostering private-led growth and entrepreneurship.
Meetings were held with several government officials including Mr. Ahad Khan Cheema, Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Mr. Sardar Awais Laghari, Mr. Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, Mrs. Rubina Khalid, and Mr. Rashid Mahmood Langrial among others. The focus was on implementing the Country Partnership Framework to tackle socio-economic challenges such as human capital development for women and girls, access to water and sanitation services, climate resilience initiatives, disaster risk reduction strategies as well as foundations for private-led growth.
In Sindh's Shaheed Benazirabad District, Mrs. Bjerde visited World Bank-supported project sites accompanied by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Minister of Health Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho. Hosted by First Lady Ms. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari during her stay in Sindh province; discussions centered around ongoing projects aiding provincial development.
For further details on the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan please refer to the CPF document.