Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has welcomed successful negotiations with the US administration leading to a tariff deal.
He expressed these sentiments during a meeting with Mr. Robert Kaproth, Assistant US Treasury Secretary for International Finance, and Counselor Jonathan Greenstein here in Washington D.C., where he has arrived to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).
Aurangzeb met with Robert Kaproth, Assistant US Treasury Secretary for International Finance, and Counselor Jonathan Greenstein, expressing optimism over the new tariff deal. He highlighted Pakistan’s improving economic fundamentals, crediting ongoing IMF-backed reforms, and briefed US officials on new legislation to regulate virtual assets. The minister also invited American companies to invest in Pakistan’s oil and gas, minerals, agriculture, and IT sectors.
Later, Aurangzeb addressed the US-Pakistan Business Council, emphasizing recent improvements in Pakistan’s macroeconomic indicators and urging the private sector to take a leading role in the country’s growth.
He acknowledged the challenges facing businesses and pledged government support, pointing to the new trade deal as a sign of deepening economic ties. Aurangzeb called for greater government-to-government and business-to-business engagement, especially in priority sectors such as mining, agriculture, IT, and pharmaceuticals.
The finance minister also met with representatives from Citi Bank, commending the bank’s longstanding partnership with Pakistan. He outlined the country’s stabilizing economy, driven by structural reforms and recognized by international credit rating agencies, and highlighted Pakistan’s emergence as a hub for digital innovation and financial services. Aurangzeb assured Citi that the government would review all proposals put forward by the bank.
Earlier in the day, Aurangzeb met Riccardo Puliti, Regional Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to discuss scaling up private sector investment. The minister welcomed IFC’s multi-billion-dollar commitment under the 10-year Country Partnership Framework and agreed to fast-track financial closure of the flagship Reko Diq mining project. He also praised IFC’s decision to open a regional office in Islamabad.
In a separate meeting with Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al-Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Aurangzeb thanked the bank for its continued support, including recent board approval for financing two sections of the M-6 motorway. Both sides agreed on the need for faster project implementation and discussed ongoing cooperation in polio eradication and oil financing. They also committed to developing a new Country Engagement Framework to guide future collaboration.
The finance minister’s meetings in Washington come as Pakistan seeks to attract foreign investment, accelerate infrastructure projects, and strengthen economic ties with key international partners.
