Aurangzeb unveils economic plan

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, leading a Pakistani delegation at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank 2024 Spring Meetings in Washington DC, on Tuesday highlighted the country’s roadmap to address economic challenges and propel the economy toward sustainable growth. During an interactive session with the Atlantic Council’s Geo-Economics Centre and South Asia Centre titled “Opportunities and Challenges for the Pakistani Economy through 2024 and Beyond,” he outlined key measures including increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio, digitalising the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), reforming State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), boosting exports, enhancing remittances, improving the business environment, and attracting foreign direct investment. Describing Pakistan’s current economic landscape, Aurangzeb noted that the country had entered a better position this year compared to last year, largely due to the nine-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) programme, which brought macroeconomic stability. He highlighted positive indicators such as 5% growth in agriculture, improved performance in the services sector, a decrease in inflation from 37-38% to approximately 20-22%, and stable exchange rates.