What are the challenges that await the new finance minister?

Muhammad Aurangzeb, a former chief executive of Habib Bank Limited (HBL) with extensive experience in the financial sector, has taken the reins as Pakistan’s new finance minister. He inherits a daunting economic landscape, grappling with intertwined issues like inflation, unemployment, and significant budget and current account deficits. A note by Topline Securities stated that the investors were keen on seeing how he performs, as the former banker is hailed as a “solid finance guy” through and through. Muhammad Aurangzeb is the new finance minister. But what are the challenges he faces, in the short and long term? Dawn.com spoke to analysts to get some answers. Negotiating with the IMF The finance minister definitely knows his first immediate challenge. He laid out his agenda in a single sentence: to focus on the implementation of much-needed reforms and secure a new deal with the IMF.