ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Thursday Pakistan is pursuing a growth-oriented programme for institutional reforms and economic revival.

He made this statement while talking to Patchamuthu Illangovan, the World Bank’s country director in Pakistan, who along with his team met the adviser in federal capital.

The delegation apprised Dr. Shaikh of the upcoming visit of World Bank President David Malpass to Pakistan in the first week of November, and conveyed a strong desire from the World Bank management to work with Pakistan to drive institutional reforms and support the growth agenda of the government through any technical or financial assistance required from the Bank.

Mr. Illangovan told the adviser that the World Bank could work on any financial arrangement looking at the objective need and assessment of the policy matrix as the Bank was very supportive of the institutional reforms being undertaken by the government of Pakistan in different sectors of the economy.

He also briefed Dr. Shaikh on ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Finance on two policy-based lending operations to provide budgetary support to Pakistan which would be finalised by December 2019.

Besides, issues related to World Bank’s ongoing portfolio of US$9.00 billion as well as firming up of Pakistan’s delegation to attend the annual meetings of IMF/WBG during October 2019, also came under discussion.

Dr. Shaikh welcomed the World Bank president’s upcoming visit to Pakistan and hoped the visit would lead to the opening of greater avenues for more productive engagement between the World Bank and Islamabad. —NNI