Bangkok: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, engaged with a delegation from Sharjah Islamic Bank during the World Bank Group-IMF Annual Meetings 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss Pakistan’s economic development and potential financing collaborations.

According to Press Information Department, the Finance Minister underscored Pakistan’s progress in fiscal and external metrics, a boost in foreign exchange reserves, upgraded credit ratings, and advancements within the IMF programme. The conversations touched on potential Sukuk issuances, rupee-denominated dollar-settled instruments, additional Panda bond issuance, and the possibility of Eurobond tokenization.

The minister stressed the importance of replacing costly short-term debt with longer maturities and reducing repayment concentrations, aiming to manage external debt without increasing it. Discussions included Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency-backed financing and the impact of rising global funding costs. The Sharjah Islamic Bank delegation expressed its support and readiness to engage in a Sukuk issuance.

Investment prospects were also highlighted by the Finance Minister in areas such as refinery upgrades, power distribution privatization, and airport outsourcing. Additionally, the dialogue covered the development of capital market benchmarks through financial institution issuances and the expansion of lending to businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the agricultural sector.