Pakistan committed to reforms, Aurangzeb tells investors

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that the government is committed to keeping Pakistan on track with structural reforms in key economic sectors, including energy, state-owned enterprises, privatisation, taxation, and government rightsizing. He said that Pakistan has previously been seen as a “single-tranche country”, but the time has come to change this perception by implementing the structural benchmarks agreed upon under the IMF programme to ensure lasting macroeconomic stability. Speaking to a group of investors led by Barclays, Mr Aurangzeb briefed the delegation on various policy interventions and initiatives undertaken over the past 12 months to reform the economy. He provided an overview of the growth and macroeconomic stability in key economic indicators, including twin deficits, a stable currency, foreign exchange reserves, and inflation, which he described as a “big story throughout the year”.