ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday met Simon Andrews, International Finance Corporation (IFC) Director for Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, to discuss IFC support for private-sector development, investment and access to finance in Pakistan.
IFC Pakistan Principal Country Officer Naz Khan also attended the meeting, which focused on ongoing and potential cooperation in areas linked to private capital mobilisation and investment-led growth.
The finance minister welcomed the IFC delegation and appreciated its continued partnership with Pakistan, particularly in expanding financing for the private sector and supporting investment-driven economic activity.
He identified entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises, agricultural finance, affordable housing and public-private partnerships as priority areas where private capital could be mobilised more effectively.
Senator Aurangzeb said Pakistan’s macroeconomic stability was improving and investor confidence was gaining strength. He said the government was working to convert these gains into higher investment, capital formation and private-sector-led growth.
The minister stressed the need to widen access to finance and build an enabling environment for both domestic and international private capital.
The IFC representatives briefed him on progress towards setting up 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 updated the minister on engagement in the affordable housing sector, including efforts to address supply-side constraints through potential developer finance models.
Agricultural finance was also discussed, with particular reference to IFC’s AgriConnect initiative. The discussion covered opportunities to mobilise private financing through improved storage infrastructure and the use of electronic warehouse receipts as collateral.
The finance minister underlined the importance of removing supply-side bottlenecks and creating greater certainty for lenders and farmers.
Public-private partnerships were another major area of the meeting. The IFC briefed the minister on its work with provincial governments on water and power sector projects, including initiatives aimed at improving water quality and safety and advancing metering infrastructure across distribution companies.
The meeting noted that PPPs could help improve service delivery, reduce losses and attract private capital for infrastructure development.
Both sides also exchanged views on expanding local-currency financing and strengthening arrangements for longer-term financing of private-sector projects.
Senator Aurangzeb said international development finance should complement domestic financial resources to support productive investment.
He said better access to long-term and affordable capital for SMEs, entrepreneurs, agriculture and housing would help unlock private investment, support business expansion and strengthen productive activity.
The minister appreciated IFC’s role in developing innovative financing solutions and mobilising private capital across these sectors.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in 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.
