ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday said Pakistan’s economy has entered a phase of stabilisation as the government pushes ahead with comprehensive structural reforms in taxation, energy, privatisation, and digitalisation to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.
Addressing a press conference alongside key cabinet members, Aurangzeb cited recent credit rating upgrades by global agencies and a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as evidence of improving economic fundamentals.
“Pakistan’s credit rating upgrade from three global credit rating agencies, alongside a staff-level agreement with the IMF, is the external validation that we are moving in the right direction,” the minister said.
He was joined by Federal Minister for Power Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Advisor to the PM on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, who highlighted progress under the government’s reform agenda, covering key sectors such as taxation, energy, privatisation, public finance, and debt management.
Aurangzeb said the government’s next goal is to transition from stability to “sustainable and inclusive growth,” adding that macroeconomic improvements must now translate into trade and investment flows.
He confirmed that reforms in energy, state-owned enterprises (SoEs), and privatisation were underway, areas frequently underscored by analysts and international partners.
Responding to a question, Aurangzeb admitted that the trade deficit had widened by 9% but noted that strong remittances — expected to reach $41–42 billion this fiscal year — were providing a cushion. The current account deficit, he said, stands at a “very manageable” $0.5 billion.
