DAVOS: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday met Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, where both sides discussed Pakistan’s reform agenda, public health priorities, and continued collaboration with the Gates Foundation.
According to the Finance Division, the meeting focused on Pakistan’s ongoing institutional reforms, polio eradication efforts, and opportunities to strengthen cooperation in support of sustainable development and capacity building. The discussion reflected Pakistan’s efforts to align economic reforms with long-term social and health outcomes.
Aurangzeb acknowledged the Gates Foundation’s longstanding engagement in Pakistan, particularly its significant role in polio eradication campaigns. He appreciated the Foundation’s continued support in addressing public health challenges, strengthening health systems, and improving service delivery across the country, especially in underserved areas.
Bill Gates briefed the finance minister on the Foundation’s current and future initiatives in Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of sustained and coordinated efforts to completely eliminate polio. Both sides agreed that closer coordination with provincial governments and local stakeholders was critical to ensuring effective implementation of health programs, particularly in high-risk regions.
The meeting also covered the digitisation of Pakistan’s taxation system, a key component of the government’s broader reform agenda. Aurangzeb thanked Gates for the Foundation’s recent communication in support of tax digitisation, describing it as a vital step toward improving transparency, efficiency, and domestic resource mobilisation.
He said the government was prioritising the use of digital tools to strengthen tax administration and broaden the tax base, noting that progress in this area was being monitored at the highest levels. Improved revenue collection, he added, was essential for reducing fiscal deficits and funding social development initiatives.
Gates highlighted the importance of efficient and transparent tax systems in achieving long-term economic self-reliance. He noted that digital solutions could significantly enhance tax collection, governance, and public service delivery, particularly in developing economies.
The two sides also discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in Pakistan’s health sector, including local vaccine production, supply chain strengthening, and capacity building. Both Aurangzeb and Gates reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration, agreeing that deeper engagement would support Pakistan’s reform efforts and contribute to long-term socioeconomic stability and growth.
