ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb held a meeting with Mr Simon Andrews, Director, IFC Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, to discuss ongoing and potential support by the International Finance Corporation for private-sector development, access to finance and investment in Pakistan.
Ms Naz Khan, Principal Country Officer, IFC Pakistan, also attended the meeting.
The finance minister welcomed the IFC representatives and appreciated the corporation’s continued partnership with Pakistan, particularly in expanding private-sector financing and supporting investment-led growth.
He said the government was focusing on entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises, agricultural finance, affordable housing and public-private partnerships as key areas for mobilising private capital.
Senator Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic stability and growing investor confidence, saying the government was focused on translating these gains into greater investment, capital formation and private-sector-led growth.
He emphasised the importance of expanding access to finance and creating an enabling environment for domestic and international private capital.
The IFC representatives briefed the minister on progress towards establishing a fund for entrepreneurs. The fund is being developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to strengthen Pakistan’s entrepreneurial and start-up ecosystem.
They also shared progress on affordable housing engagement aimed at addressing supply-side constraints through potential developer finance models.
On agricultural finance, the discussion focused on the IFC’s AgriConnect initiative, particularly opportunities to mobilise private financing through improved storage infrastructure and the effective use of electronic warehouse receipts as collateral.
The finance minister stressed the need to address supply-side constraints and create greater certainty for lenders and farmers.
Public-private partnerships were also discussed in detail. The IFC briefed the minister on its engagement with provincial governments on projects in the water and power sectors, including initiatives to improve water quality and safety and advance metering infrastructure across distribution companies.
The discussions underlined the potential of public-private partnerships to improve service delivery, reduce losses and mobilise private capital for infrastructure development.
The finance minister and IFC representatives also exchanged views on expanding local-currency financing and strengthening mechanisms for longer-term financing for private-sector projects.
Senator Aurangzeb said domestic financial resources should be complemented with international development finance to support productive investment.
He also underlined the importance of expanding financing opportunities for SMEs, entrepreneurs, agriculture and housing, saying improved access to long-term and affordable capital would help unlock private investment, support business expansion and strengthen productive activity.
The minister appreciated the IFC’s role in developing innovative financing solutions and mobilising private capital across these sectors.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on private-sector financing, investment and infrastructure development, with a shared focus on expanding access to finance, supporting entrepreneurship and mobilising greater domestic and international capital for Pakistan’s sustainable and investment-led growth.
