Islamabad: The Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue of Pakistan, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, recently met with Kirsty McNeill, the UK Minister for International Development, in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Bank Group-IMF Annual Meetings 2026 and focused on economic reforms, investment opportunities, and climate resilience strategies.

According to Press Information Department, the Finance Minister underscored the importance of fiscal consolidation, strengthening reserves, and upgrading sovereign ratings to regain access to international capital markets. Key areas of discussion included export-led growth, tariff and tax reforms, and enhancing information technology exports alongside upskilling freelancers in Pakistan.

The Finance Minister expressed appreciation for the United Kingdom’s assistance through the REMIT program and its support for the Reforms for Growth initiative. He also welcomed the increasing investment pipeline from British International Investment. The discussions extended to privatization efforts, airport outsourcing, and potential aviation cooperation involving Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

The meeting further explored solar energy adoption, battery storage solutions, and grid viability, with an emphasis on the UK’s technical support for Pakistan’s energy transition. Both ministers highlighted the need for simplified access to climate finance and the development of bankable projects. The Finance Minister also discussed disaster preparedness measures and the BRIDGE initiative, aimed at enhancing climate resilience.