ISLAMABAD:The World Bank Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg Thursday said the bank was partnering with Pakistan in implementing one of the largest programme and also acknowledged that a lot of progress had been made on implementation of structural reforms in various sectors.
He was talking to Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC. The bank’s Pakistan team, Dr Asad Majeed Khan, Ambassador, Dr Murtaza Syed, deputy governor, State Bank of Pakistan and Naveed Kamran Baloch, alternate executive director, the World Bank were also present.
Omar Ayub Khan, economic affairs minister and Mohammad Hammad Azhar, energy minister joined the meeting virtually from Islamabad.
The finance minister appreciated the bank’s support to Pakistan over the decades and acknowledged the continuing support being extended to Pakistan.
He highlighted the measures taken by the government to accelerate completion of projects funded by the bank which were in the pipeline, with special focus on agriculture, housing and construction sectors.
Tarin assured that the government was also keen to reform the power sector in the country with special focus on reducing circular debt.
He reiterated that the government was fully committed to implementing structural reforms, protecting social spending and boosting social safety nets in order to protect the vulnerable segments of the society.
Hamad Azhar shared the measures being taken by the government to reform the power sector and rationalize power sector subsidies.
The World Bank managing director informed on the importance that the bank places on cooperation with Pakistan and said the bank was looking forward to continuing the bilateral cooperation in the future.
Axel van Trotsenburg also conveyed gratitude and appreciation for the government’s assistance in the timely and efficient transiting of the bank’s staff from Kabul.
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