Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Ahad Khan Cheema, met Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank, to discuss how Pakistan’s Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2026–2035 will be put into practice. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok.
Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation on the CPF’s shared priorities. The aim, they said, is to ensure development financing produces timely, sustainable and measurable benefits for the people of Pakistan.
Cheema calls for faster project delivery
Cheema said the government is determined to turn the CPF’s objectives into tangible development outcomes. He called for greater technical and financial support, integrated multisectoral programmes and digital monitoring systems to track progress and measure impact.
He stressed the importance of stronger project preparedness through dedicated Project Readiness Facilities, predictable financing and better implementation support. He also pointed to the Prime Minister’s whole-of-government initiative aimed at systemic bottlenecks in project planning and implementation.
Debt sustainability and job-focused investment
Cheema said concessional resources must be used efficiently to maximise development impact while safeguarding debt sustainability. Discussions also covered World Bank support for human development, climate resilience, water and sanitation, and economic transformation.
The minister highlighted investment in sectors with high job-creation potential to expand employment and promote inclusive growth. He also discussed enhanced support for the ML-1 Railway Upgradation Project, a proposed Economic Railway Corridor along the roughly 1,800-km line, and a proposed Minerals Compact.
