Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has led a delegation to Washington for the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF. Pakistan aims to secure economic support for its debt-ridden economy and boost climate financing. With external debt repayment obligations of $30.6 billion looming, the country is under mounting financial strain.
At the talks, Aurangzeb will push for climate adaptation funds, with analysts noting Pakistan’s annual needs are between $7 and $14 billion and possibly as much as $60 billion to address climate-related challenges. The IMF recently approved $1.3 billion in concessional climate funding, but much more is required for long-term sustainability.
Global pressures for overhauling financial systems to support low-income nations will also feature in discussions, providing Pakistan an opportunity to advocate for broader assistance. The meetings highlight the urgent need for reform, particularly as foreign creditors extracted $141 billion more than they disbursed to developing nations since 2022.
Despite challenges, Pakistan’s recent progress under an Extended Fund Facility has been acknowledged by the IMF, which highlighted improvements in economic stability and inflation control. However, sustaining these gains will depend heavily on further international support.
