Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Pakistan Governor to the World Bank Group Ahad Khan Cheema requested ongoing World Bank financing for the ML-1 railway project and the National Artificial Intelligence and Economic Development Program. He made the request during a meeting with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok, an official statement revealed on Friday.
The two officials talked about turning macroeconomic stability into sustainable, investment-driven growth, productive jobs, and better livelihoods, following Banga visiting Pakistan in February 2026.
Cheema thanked the World Bank Group for improving operational efficiency, pointing out that average project preparation time dropped from 19 months down to nine months while private capital mobilization hit a record $112 billion in FY2026.
He pointed to Pakistan broad government reform push, directed by the Prime Minister Steering Committee on implementation reforms, to fix systemic problems and speed up project work. Both parties agreed to simplify procedures more and quicken the delivery of development results.
The minister stated that Country Partnership Framework execution and policy changes need to match large-scale, high-impact spending in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, minerals and value addition, primary healthcare, skills training, agricultural value chains, and energy and transport infrastructure.
He emphasized that the alliance has to produce lasting results through reliable tracking and real progress for the final recipients.
