ISLAMABAD: The Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met with the United Kingdom’s Minister for Development, Baroness Chapman, at the Finance Division on Tuesday, where she was accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, and senior British officials.
The discussion covered a wide range of bilateral and economic matters, beginning with the minister’s appreciation for the United Kingdom’s support at the IMF, which contributed to the successful completion of Pakistan’s programme reviews.
Both sides exchanged views on Pakistan’s macroeconomic stabilisation efforts and the government’s commitment to structural reforms in taxation, energy, state-owned enterprises, public finance management, and privatization.
Senator Aurangzeb outlined progress in broadening the tax base, curbing leakages through technology-driven transparency, and advancing governance reforms supported by strong political oversight. He highlighted ongoing work on energy sector efficiencies, debt management, public-sector right-sizing, pension reform, and measures aimed at restoring fiscal sustainability and creating space for social sector priorities.
The meeting also included an exchange of perspectives on Pakistan’s devolved governance structure and the need for federal–provincial coordination to strengthen investment in health, education, population management, and climate resilience.
The Minister underscored the importance of aligning development spending with national priorities and accelerating implementation of programmes supported by the World Bank and other partners. Both sides discussed women’s economic participation, demographic challenges, and policy options to support family planning and social protection interventions.
Baroness Chapman reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s readiness to provide technical assistance, regulatory support, and capacity-building under ongoing partnerships, particularly in areas such as digitalisation, governance reforms, investment climate improvement, and ease of doing business. The conversation also addressed opportunities to deepen bilateral engagement, including enhanced high-level exchanges and collaboration with the private sector.
Senator Aurangzeb welcomed the prospect of expanding cooperation in economic management, climate and population policy, and financial sector reforms, and noted Pakistan’s interest in continued dialogue with UK institutions.
Both sides expressed commitment to strengthening the long-standing partnership between Pakistan and the United Kingdom and agreed to work closely on shared development priorities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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