Hafeez in US for IMF meeting

WASHINGTON (APP) - Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh arrived in Washington on Thursday evening to head the Pakistani delegation at IMF-World Bank annual spring meetings. Dr Sheikh is expected to highlihght Pakistans progress towards economic reforms, hopeful exports trajectory, growth prospects and importance of international partnership in the countrys development in a series of meetings. The Finance Minister will lead a team of Pakistans top economic managers at the spring meetings that bring together world finance leaders and heads of international financial institutions. Besides representing Pakistan at various forums of World Bank and IMF. Dr Sheikh is scheduled to meet World Bank President Robert Zoellick, senior IMF officials and his counterparts from several countries including Germany, China and UK Secretary of State for International Development during his stay in Washington. According to officials, the finance minister will also interact with American business leaders and draw their attention to tremendous investment opportunities that many sectors of the Pakistani economy hold for foreign entrepreneurs. He will address Pakistan-US Business Council at the US Chamber of Commerce and Business Council for International Understanding. He will also hold meetings with US officials on augmenting trade and economic ties. The finance minister will also have a meeting with IMF Mission Chief for Pakistan Adnan Mazaeri and discuss progress towards completion of the $ 11.3 billion programme ahead of the fifth review of the performance for release of last two remaining tranche of $ 3.3b. Dr Sheikh will also address an event at Woodrow Wilson Center on US-Pakistan economic relations. Officials say despite last years flooding catastrophe and security challenges along the Afghan border, Pakistan is heading to a much better growth path in contrast with earlier dismal preditictions.

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