Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has expressed confidence that Pakistan’s economy would grow by more than 04 percent during the current fiscal year despite elevated oil prices, while the government expects to privatize five to six state-owned entities, potentially generating more than $1 billion.
In an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings 2026 in Bangkok, the finance minister said Pakistan had successfully secured adequate fuel supplies despite challenging circumstances, avoiding shortages and ensuring that critical sectors, including agriculture, continued to function.
“So I’m still quite clear that we should clock north of 4 percent,” Aurangzeb said, adding that the government was closely monitoring inflation because higher oil prices could have a knock-on impact on commodity prices.
Pakistan, a South Asian country with a population of around 255 million, has also continued to advance its engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and international financial partners to support economic stability and reforms.
Aurangzeb said Pakistan, which reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF last week that could unlock about $1.21 billion in financing under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and a climate program , was continuing discussions with the United States on a proposed $10 billion exchange stabilization facility.
“If it comes through, this will be a great help for us,” he said, referring to the proposed facility, which is in addition to ongoing discussions with the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
However, the minister said Pakistan’s access to international markets would not be affected if the proposed facility did not materialize. “If it doesn’t come through, this does not, you know, create any problem for us in terms of access to market,” he said.
On the privatization agenda, Aurangzeb said that, following the sale of the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last year, the government had around a dozen other entities in the pipeline for privatization or private-sector participation. These include state-owned power distribution companies and plans to outsource airport operations.
“I expect about five or six of these to go through during this fiscal year,” he said, adding that the transactions could generate more than $1 billion.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to a private-sector-led economy, Aurangzeb said the government intended to facilitate businesses and create an enabling environment for private investment.
“We are quite clear that we want the private sector to lead the country,” he said, adding that the government’s role was to support and assist the private sector by strengthening the overall economic ecosystem.
Separately, Aurangzeb said Pakistan is pursuing a medium-term debt strategy to diversify financing sources, extend debt maturities and expand access to international capital markets, aiming to ease external repayment pressures and improve its sovereign credit rating.
In a televised interview with Bloomberg TV, the minister said Pakistan would avoid rushing into international borrowing during the current fiscal year, as it did not need to rely on global markets to meet its external financing requirements.
Moreover, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday discussed economic reforms, macroeconomic stability and climate resilience with IMF and ESCAP officials in Bangkok, while assuming Pakistan’s chairmanship of the Borrowers’ Platform to promote debt management and development financing.
According to a press release issued by finance ministry here, the minister met with Dan Katz, First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on the sidelines of the World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand and discussed Pakistan’s macroeconomic stabilization, progress under the IMF-supported programme and ongoing structural reforms.
He highlighted improved investor confidence, sovereign credit rating upgrades and renewed access to international capital markets. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, tax reforms, privatization and sustainable economic growth.
Both sides welcomed the staff-level agreement and acknowledged improvements in fiscal performance, foreign exchange reserves, inflation and external sector stability.
Discussions also covered the impact of the Middle East conflict on energy prices and inflation, including targeted relief for vulnerable households within fiscal constraints. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation and safeguarding macroeconomic stability against external challenges.
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb met with UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and discussed country’s economic priorities and opportunities for cooperation.
He outlined progress in macroeconomic stabilization and emphasized the importance of preserving these gains through structural reforms and sustainable, export-led growth.
He identified climate change and rapid population growth as major challenges, seeking technical support for disaster preparedness, early-warning systems and the development of bankable climate projects.
The minister also accepted the chairmanship of the Governing Council of the Borrowers’ Platform on behalf of Pakistan and acknowledged Egypt’s leadership and the contributions of member countries and the Secretariat in operationalizing the Platform.
He emphasized that the Platform would promote mutual learning and technical cooperation rather than serve as a collective bargaining or crisis-management mechanism. He outlined Pakistan’s priorities under the 2026–27 work plan including strengthening debt-management practices, sharing reform experiences and exploring innovative development-financing instruments.
The minister welcomed the rapid progress in establishing the Platform’s institutional foundations, governance arrangements and shared work programme, as well as growing interest from prospective member countries.