ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb shared on Wednesday that the government has received "very positive" feedback from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding Pakistan's macroeconomic stability and its reform efforts.

Speaking at the INSURE IMPACT CONFERENCE PAKISTAN 2025, Aurangzeb highlighted the government's progress in the last year, noting that the IMF praised the country's efforts in maintaining stability through structural reforms. Aurangzeb revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had a "very constructive and positive meeting" with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025. The meeting focused on Pakistan's ongoing IMF programme and the country's achievements in economic reforms, especially in terms of restoring macroeconomic stability.

"We got very positive feedback in terms of the macroeconomic stability achieved over the last 12 months," Aurangzeb said, adding that the IMF also commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leadership in guiding the country through challenging reforms. He emphasized that the IMF appreciated Pakistan's commitment to its reform-based agenda, which has contributed to the nation's economic recovery. The meeting between PM Shehbaz and Georgieva came ahead of the first review of a $7-billion IMF bailout package, set to take place in March 2025. During their discussions, the two leaders focused on Pakistan's progress under the IMF's Extended Fund Facility (EFF). According to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the talks highlighted Pakistan's commitment to implementing critical structural reforms and maintaining fiscal discipline. These reforms have played a key role in restoring economic stability and are expected to continue driving sustainable growth in the future. Aurangzeb further explained that, in addition to macroeconomic stability, the government has moved quickly to implement structural reforms in taxation, energy, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and public finance. These efforts, he noted, are designed to create long-term economic resilience.

He also touched upon Pakistan's insurance sector, stating that while the sector is "starting from a good place," there is still room for improvement. "To achieve the vision of an Insured Pakistan, the sector has to be better, faster, and cheaper," Aurangzeb remarked. He emphasized that innovation in the sector is growing but still not at the level required to meet the nation's goals. The finance minister concluded by reiterating that the government's role is to provide a supportive policy framework and ensure continuity in its policies.

This approach, he stressed, is essential to achieving the country's broader economic objectives. Separately, an IMF mission is currently in Pakistan to conduct an assessment under the country's Extended Fund Facility programme. This mission is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with the IMF-backed reforms and maintain stability ahead of the upcoming review.