ISLAMABAD: Long-term development gains in Pakistan will depend on accelerated progress in child nutrition, stunting reduction, foundational learning, and access to quality health and education services, said World Bank Group delegation head Mamta Murthi.
She emphasized the need to strengthen service delivery systems to ensure that essential health and education services effectively reach mothers and children across the country.
The World Bank’s official observed this during a meeting with Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, here on Wednesday. A World Bank Group delegation led by Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development (Health, Education, and Social Protection), is currently visiting Pakistan.
The delegation included Bolormaa Amgaabazar, Country Director for Pakistan; Keiko Inoue, Regional Director for Human Development; SherinVarkey, Health Practice Manager; and Simon Andrews, IFC Director.
Finance Minister appreciated the World Bank Group’s continued partnership with Pakistan and acknowledged its support for the country’s development and reform priorities. He noted that while Pakistan has made important progress in restoring macroeconomic stability, the Government’s focus has been increasingly directed towards improving social and human development outcomes through targeted investments in health, education, skills development, and social protection. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong focus on measurable outcomes and effective implementation under the World Bank’s long-term Country Partnership Framework with Pakistan.
The Finance Minister highlighted that Pakistan’s large and youthful population presents both a significant opportunity and an important policy priority. He underscored the need to improve human capital indicators, strengthen workforce participation, and equip young people with skills aligned with evolving labour market requirements. He further emphasized that sustained economic growth and competitiveness would require continued investments in people, alongside reforms aimed at improving productivity, service delivery, and employment generation.
Discussions focused extensively on Pakistan’s human development agenda, including maternal and child health, nutrition, immunization, early childhood development, education outcomes, and population-related challenges.
MamtaMurthi emphasized that long-term development outcomes would depend on sustained progress in key human capital indicators, particularly child nutrition, reduction in stunting, foundational learning, and access to quality healthcare and education services. She noted that the World Bank’s engagement is focused on supporting measurable outcomes and strengthening service delivery systems to ensure that essential interventions reach mothers and children effectively across the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026