ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing its reform agenda and meeting structural benchmarks to lend permanence to macroeconomic stability, promote inclusive, sustainable growth and end Pakistan’s reliance on external borrowing. He made it clear that the only way this goal could be successfully achieved was by changing the DNA of the economy by moving it away from its usual boom-and-bust cycles and leading it to a sustained export-led growth encouraging investment and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows into export-oriented sectors and getting access back to the international capital market.
He made this observation during a meeting with a high-level delegation from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that called on the minister at Finance Division, on Wednesday.
The visiting delegation was led by Donald Bobiash, executive director of ADB and Shigeo Shimizu, executive director ADB while Yong Ye, country director ADB and other senior officers from the ADB and Finance Division were also present.
Muhammad Aurangzeb addresses ‘Launching Ceremony of Pakistan Economy Dashboard’
Aurangzeb welcomed the delegation and shared with them a roundup of ongoing structural reforms and the resultant growth trajectory and improvement in key economic indicators.
He, particularly, highlighted an efficient management of twin deficits backed by buoyant remittances and healthy exports, a steep fall in inflation from a 38 pc high of last year to a 44-month low of 6.9 pc in September last, and reduction in the policy rate by 450 bps with expectations of more cuts in coming months.
The minister also mentioned the stability in exchange rate, growth in forex reserves to $10.7 billion after the signing of the IMF accord and the stock exchange index crossing 85,000 figure to indicate a growing business confidence and favourable investment climate leading to further institutional flows into the country. He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with personally overseeing and spearheading the implementation of wide-ranging structural reforms in key sectors, including taxation, energy, SOEs, privatization, rightsizing of government and pension reforms. He called the recent signing of a National Fiscal Pact between federation and the provinces a milestone in achieving harmony in driving the pace of structural reforms and incentivizing the provinces to mobilise greater tax resources, rationalize their development expenditures and improve their governance to meet the development goals.
Aurangzeb thanked ADB for its continued support to Pakistan’s development agenda and its assistance provided in key sectors. He said Pakistan looked forward to further deepen its partnership with the ADB through enhanced assistance and support for its reform programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Donald Bobiash, Shigeo Shimizu, and other ADB officials expressed their appreciation for the bold reforms undertaken by Pakistan for stabilising its economy and achieving sustainable growth. They reaffirmed ADB’s support for ongoing reforms and strengthening the country’s fiscal framework. They also assured the bank’s support for Pakistan’s development goals and its efforts for inclusive growth, innovation, and climate action.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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