Report: ANI
ISLAMABAD –President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fiscal sustainability, energy sector reforms, privatisation and social protection, with a focus on inclusive and green growth.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Jihad Azour, Director of the International Monetary Fund’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday. The IMF delegation also included Iva Petrova, IMF Mission Chief for Pakistan, and Mahir Binici, IMF Resident Representative for Pakistan.
The President appreciated the IMF’s continued engagement in supporting Pakistan’s home-grown reform agenda and expressed confidence in the country’s progress under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
Referring to the successful completion of the fourth EFF review and the third RSF review, along with the staff-level agreement, President Zardari said Pakistan was progressing towards economic recovery and stability.
He noted that Pakistan’s economy reached $452.1 billion in FY2026, while real GDP growth increased to 3.7 per cent from 3.2 per cent in FY2025. The fiscal deficit declined to 2.6 per cent of GDP in FY2025-26, and the country recorded a primary surplus for the third consecutive year.
President Zardari reiterated the government’s commitment to improving revenue mobilisation, modernising tax administration, digitising revenue collection, curbing tax evasion and reforming public sector institutions. He added that provincial governments and political stakeholders were supporting the reform programme.
The President also highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Jihad Azour acknowledged Pakistan’s continued engagement with the IMF and stressed the importance of sustained reforms, fiscal discipline and macroeconomic stability to support long-term economic growth.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, former federal minister Syed Naveed Qamar and the Secretary Finance also attended the meeting.
