WASHINGTON: Pakistan has stepped up its economic diplomacy through a series of high-level meetings held by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, on the sidelines of international engagements in Washington D.C.
The discussions focused on enhancing regional cooperation, strengthening bilateral economic ties, and supporting Pakistan’s ongoing reform agenda.
In a meeting with Mr. Lutfey Y. Siddiqi, Special Envoy to the Hon’ble Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, the Finance Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering closer regional economic collaboration.
Recalling the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Dhaka in August 2025, he stressed that sustainable growth must be driven by the private sector, with the government ensuring a supportive environment for investment and innovation. Both sides identified the information technology sector as a key driver of economic transformation and agreed to enhance knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives.
Mr. Aurangzeb also held a productive meeting with Congressman French Hill, Chairman of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, to discuss strengthening Pakistan–U.S. economic and financial cooperation.
The talks focused on digitizing financial services, developing the new economy, collaborating in the mineral sector, and expanding partnerships in information technology. Both sides expressed strong interest in deepening bilateral engagement to promote sustainable growth and innovation-led development.
Additionally, the Finance Minister met Mr. Liao Min, Deputy Finance Minister of the People’s Republic of China, to discuss Pakistan’s economic reforms and future cooperation.
He briefed the Chinese side on the recently concluded Staff Level Agreement (SLA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), terming it an important endorsement of the government’s reform program. He also provided updates on the issuance of the Panda Bond in the Chinese market and sought China’s support for Pakistan’s membership in the New Development Bank.
The Minister welcomed greater Chinese investment in priority sectors, including information technology, agriculture, industry, and minerals, and extended an invitation to Mr. Liao Min to visit Pakistan.
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