*WASHINGTON – Pakistan finance minister held important meetings with IMFand World Bank Chiefs in Washington.*
*Minister for Finance Asad Umar and his team held meetings with the WorldBank and the IMF high-level officials on the sidelines of the scheduledannual IMF Spring moot.*
Pakistani delegation led by Asad Umer has participated in IMF and WB Springmeetings in Washington and discussed the economic situation of Pakistan.
The finance minister’s delegation includes *State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)Governor Tariq Bajwa*, Finance Secretary *Younas Dagh*a,* Economic AffairsDivision Secretary Noor Ahmed* and others. The delegation reached the UScapital on Tuesday evening and is expected to stay for two days.
On the sidelines of the meetings, the finance minister also met with thenew *World Bank President David Malpass* and apprised him of themacroeconomic situation in the country and discussed continuation ofPakistan’s ongoing engagement with the Bank.
Malpass appreciated the reform process in the country and assuredcontinued *WorldBank* support. Asad Umer also met with the *First Deputy Managing Directorof IMF David Lipton* and talked about the ongoing negotiations with the IMF.
The finance minister had a business round-table with members of the *USPakistan Business Council*. The business council expressed their stronginterest in Pakistan’s market and shared their future plans as well asissues where they needed support from the government.
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Talking to the business council, Asad Umer said the present government iscompletely focused on improving the *ease of doing business in Pakistan*.He further said Prime Minister Imran Khan is personally monitoring thereform process in this regard.
The delegation discussed various economic and development projects with theWorld Bank president, as well as with the *Executive Director and DeputyManaging Director* of the IMF.
The finance minister also met the *World Bank’s Vice President for SouthAsia Region*. He was scheduled to sit with the *Assistant Secretary andActing Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury*.
The finance minister chaired a meeting with the members of the *US-PakistanCouncil*linkexplore investment opportunities and prospects in Pakistan.
*Asad Umar* is also expected to further deliberate on terms of a multipleyear support funding from the IMF. Before leaving Islamabad, he haddeclared that the talks with the IMF for a funding package was in finalstages.
