World Bank Country Director Calls on Finance Minister

World Bank Country Director Calls on Finance Minister

Mr. Rachid Benmessaoud, Country Director-World Bank called on Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar today at the Finance Ministry to discuss issues related to World Bank assistance to Pakistan.

The Finance Minister expressed his gratitude on support of the World Bank for Pakistan Day (May 1, 2014) and appreciated early disbursement of the US $ 1 billion to Pakistan. He informed the Country Director that Pakistan’s economy is moving in the right direction and that we would continue to engage with multilateral fora including World Bank for assistance in energy and infrastructure development programmes initiated by the Government.

He added that, in line with the vision of the Prime Minister to make Pakistan developed and prosperous country, the Government has embarked upon a plan to meet the energy requirements and to make Pakistan an economically viable country. He emphasized that World Bank’s assistance in energy and development projects particularly on Dasu Dam and CASA – 1000 will help Pakistan progress.

The Country Director said that we are encouraged by the positive trends of the economic indicators. He said that we are working day and night for Board meeting to be held on June,10 and hope that the assistance for Dasu Project will be approved. He assured the Finance Minister that things are moving positively for Pakistan at the World Bank.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Shahid Mahmood, Special Assistant to the Finance Minister and senior officials of the Finance Ministry