Islamabad: Mr. Yingming Yang, Vice President for South, Central and West Asia at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), met with Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, marking his first official visit to Pakistan. The meeting, attended by senior officials from both sides, focused on advancing Pakistan’s development priorities and strengthening their partnership.

According to Press Information Department, Minister Cheema acknowledged the ADB’s ongoing support and the recent approval of the Country Partnership Strategy for 2026-2030. He highlighted recent fiscal, structural, and governance reforms aimed at fostering sustainable economic growth and macroeconomic stability. The Minister emphasized the importance of the ML-1 railway project and the government’s commitment to privatization and effective public-private partnerships.

Mr. Yang praised Pakistan’s improved sovereign credit ratings and the government’s macroeconomic efforts. He noted Pakistan’s role in enabling ADB to introduce innovative financing instruments and expressed willingness to work on railways reforms. Both parties agreed to strengthen coordination to expedite development initiatives, increase private sector involvement, and achieve economic outcomes.