Islamabad, February 2,2026: President of the World Bank Group (WBG), Mr. Ajay Banga, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday during his first official visit to Pakistan since assuming office.
The Prime Minister warmly welcomed Mr. Banga and expressed appreciation for the World Bank Group’s long-standing partnership with Pakistan and its continued support for the country’s development priorities, particularly through the 10-year World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework (CPF).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also lauded Mr. Banga’s leadership in transforming the World Bank Group into a more impactful and results-oriented development partner. He briefed the WBG President on the government’s comprehensive, home-grown economic reform agenda, stating that Pakistan is vigorously pursuing a multi-pronged structural reform programme aimed at achieving sustainable economic stability.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the World Bank Group’s support across key sectors, including resilient infrastructure, agribusiness, digital development, energy, human capital, fiscal reforms, and efforts to increase productive private investment for job creation and economic growth.
Both sides emphasized the need to fast-track implementation and ensure strong oversight to deliver impact at speed and scale on CPF-aligned priorities. These steps, it was noted, would support the Prime Minister’s initiative to address and resolve implementation bottlenecks in development projects.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to structural reforms, the Prime Minister said such measures would unlock job-rich growth and further strengthen investor confidence.
Mr. Ajay Banga thanked the Prime Minister for the warm reception and hospitality extended to him in Pakistan. He commended the government’s ongoing reform efforts and reaffirmed his commitment to deepening cooperation with Pakistan through a One World Bank Group approach.
He further underscored that greater leverage of private sector resources, alongside strong coordination with development partners, would be essential to meeting the ambitions of Pakistan’s reform agenda.
