Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb departed for the United States on Saturday to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance.
During his six-day trip, Aurangzeb will hold meetings with senior officials of the IMF, World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). He will also meet World Bank President Ajay Banga and attend a dinner hosted for the finance ministers of selected countries.
The minister is scheduled to meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the G24 and MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan) meetings, where he will deliver a keynote address.
On Friday, the finance minister said that the government hopes to finalise a staff-level agreement (SLA) with the IMF early next week during his visit to Washington.
“We have a few outstanding issues [with the IMF]; however, from my perspective, they are no showstoppers. We will continue these discussions virtually tonight and into the weekend. Hopefully, early next week, when the SBP governor, finance secretary, and I are in Washington, we hope to get moving with the SLA,” he said, while addressing a delegation of Saudi investors at the Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Karachi.
Aurangzeb will also participate in a World Bank regional roundtable on the digital transformation of Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), alongside tax authorities from other countries. He will also attend events hosted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and hold bilateral meetings with finance ministers from China, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan.
The finance minister’s itinerary includes meetings with senior White House officials, the U.S. Congress Financial Services Committee chair, and representatives from the U.S. State and Treasury Departments, as well as the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
He will also meet members of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council to discuss taxation and investment opportunities, along with representatives of global credit rating agencies, commercial banks, and investment firms.
Aurangzeb is scheduled to address multiple investment forums and visit U.S. think tanks including the Atlantic Council and the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). He will also meet members of the Pakistani diaspora and give interviews to leading international and American media outlets.
According to the ministry, the finance minister’s schedule includes more than 65 official meetings, events, and engagements during his visit.
