Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held meetings with senior IMF officials on Thursday to assess Pakistan’s macroeconomic performance and progress under the Fund’s program, according to the finance ministry.
In a post on X, the ministry said the minister met with senior IMF management, including First Deputy Managing Director Dan Katz, Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department Jihad Azour, and Mission Chief for Pakistan Iva Petrova.
During the discussions, Aurangzeb reviewed Pakistan’s macroeconomic performance and progress under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), and the wider IMF‑supported reform agenda, the ministry stated.
He pointed out improvements in fiscal and external balances, achievement of revenue targets, stronger foreign‑exchange reserves, record remittances, and a healthier current‑account position.
The ministry added that talks also covered tax and energy reforms, privatization, tariff rationalization, debt management, diversification of financing sources, and Pakistan’s re‑entry into international capital markets.
Both sides exchanged views on human‑capital development, women’s economic participation, demographic challenges, technology‑driven growth, and private‑sector‑led, export‑oriented development.
Aurangzeb concluded the meetings by thanking the IMF for acknowledging Pakistan’s ‘strong programme ownership and reform progress,’ while reiterating the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, policy credibility, structural reforms, and long‑term economic transformation.
Aurangzeb Holds Talks with US Export‑Import Bank Chief
Earlier, Aurangzeb met with John Jovanovic, President and Chairman of the US Export‑Import Bank, to discuss economic and commercial cooperation.
During the meeting, the minister outlined plans to expand Pakistan‑US economic ties, focusing on financing for long‑term projects and boosting trade in agricultural commodities such as cotton and soybeans, as well as hydrocarbons, the ministry said.
Aurangzeb welcomed the Bank’s proposal to create a broader framework for prioritizing projects, establishing a multi‑year transaction pipeline, and facilitating US financing, technology, equipment, and services.
The ministry noted that both parties agreed to identify near‑term transactions, appoint focal points, and work toward finalizing the strategic framework, which is expected to be signed on the margins of the UN General Assembly session in September 2026.
The finance minister remains in Washington, where he has held a series of meetings with US officials to explore ways to deepen bilateral trade and investment.
On Tuesday, in a meeting with his US counterpart Scott Bessent, Aurangzeb requested a $10 billion Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility to help bolster Pakistan’s economy.
In a separate meeting with US technology firm Honeywell Technologies, he discussed a proposal to modernize and expand the country’s refinery sector.
The minister’s visit coincides with ongoing negotiations between Pakistani and US officials regarding the global tariff regime announced by US President Donald Trump on April 2 2025 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which initially imposed a 29 percent tariff on Pakistani exports.
A Pakistani delegation that visited Washington in July 2025 succeeded in convincing US officials to lower the proposed tariff from 29 percent to 19 percent.
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