logo
Pakistan, WB boost ties with $40b framework

Pakistan, WB boost ties with $40b framework

Express Tribune10 hours ago

Listen to article
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Ahad Khan Cheema, held high-level meetings with World Bank leadership in Washington, marking a major step in advancing the country's development partnership with the global financial institution.
In meetings with Anna Bjerde, Managing Director for Operations, and Martin Raiser, South Asia Regional Vice President, Cheema praised the strengthened collaboration between Pakistan and the World Bank over the past year. This partnership has culminated in the development of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2026-2035 — a ten-year strategy backed by a $40 billion commitment from the World Bank.
Cheema thanked the World Bank for its continued support, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 floods. "As our largest development partner, the World Bank has played an indispensable role in Pakistan's socio-economic progress and improving the lives of our citizens," he stated, while appreciating the leadership of Bjerde and Raiser.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pakistan, WB boost ties with $40b framework
Pakistan, WB boost ties with $40b framework

Express Tribune

time10 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Pakistan, WB boost ties with $40b framework

Listen to article Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Ahad Khan Cheema, held high-level meetings with World Bank leadership in Washington, marking a major step in advancing the country's development partnership with the global financial institution. In meetings with Anna Bjerde, Managing Director for Operations, and Martin Raiser, South Asia Regional Vice President, Cheema praised the strengthened collaboration between Pakistan and the World Bank over the past year. This partnership has culminated in the development of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2026-2035 — a ten-year strategy backed by a $40 billion commitment from the World Bank. Cheema thanked the World Bank for its continued support, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 floods. "As our largest development partner, the World Bank has played an indispensable role in Pakistan's socio-economic progress and improving the lives of our citizens," he stated, while appreciating the leadership of Bjerde and Raiser.

No interest in holding talks with political parties: DG ISPR
No interest in holding talks with political parties: DG ISPR

Business Recorder

time10 hours ago

  • Business Recorder

No interest in holding talks with political parties: DG ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry denied any backchannel communication or negotiations with former prime minister Imran Khan. In an interview with a British media outlet, the Pakistan military's spokesperson said, 'The military is not interested in talking to political parties, emphasising that dialogue and political negotiations are the responsibility of politicians.' Recorded on May 18 at the ISPR headquarters, the interview addressed several pressing topics including political instability, relations with neighbouring countries and others. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif reiterated the military's longstanding position that it operates strictly under the constitutional framework. 'We speak to the state, not to individual political parties,' he said. According to him, the military serves the elected government of the time and should not be dragged into political debates or controversies. Responding to persistent claims about the military's involvement in politics, particularly following the ouster of Imran Khan's government, Gen Sharif blamed political actors for creating and spreading such narratives to mask their own shortcomings. The ISPR chief elaborated on the military's support in civil sectors like health, disaster response, and infrastructure development. He noted the army's key role during the Covid-19 pandemic and in polio vaccination drives. 'We act upon requests by the federal and provincial governments,' he added. On the complex security situation in Balochistan, the army's spokesperson said the region faces hybrid warfare driven by separatist elements and foreign-funded propaganda. He acknowledged the issue of enforced disappearances but stressed that no one has the right to illegally detain citizens. A judicial commission, he noted, is actively working on these cases. Lt Gen Sharif defended Pakistan's approach to media regulations and online monitoring. He pointed to Article 19 of the Constitution, which allows freedom of expression with reasonable restrictions. He also criticised what he described as double standards in global discourse on media freedoms, comparing Pakistan's environment with India's. Regarding Pakistan's security concerns stemming from Afghanistan, Gen Sharif stated that militant sanctuaries across the border continue to pose threats. He confirmed that Pakistan has conducted targeted operations across the border, including the recent Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos on May 10, aimed at neutralising threats. 'A single Pakistani life is more precious than a thousand foreign ones,' he asserted, underlining the military's commitment to protecting national sovereignty and citizen safety.

Karachi's liveability crisis
Karachi's liveability crisis

Business Recorder

time10 hours ago

  • Business Recorder

Karachi's liveability crisis

EDITORIAL: Karachi's ranking of 170 out of 173 cities on the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index, released on June 17, is a stark reflection of its severe shortcomings in infrastructure, safety, healthcare and overall quality of life. Scoring a dismal 42.7 out of 100 across five categories — stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure — the city remains among the world's least liveable, plagued by crumbling services, environmental degradation and rampant inequality. Karachi's failings are especially jarring, given that urbanisation is often hailed as a driver of economic growth — stimulating investment, creating jobs and fostering innovation through dense networks of people and ideas. Yet, Pakistan's experience, and particularly Karachi's, tells a different story. Urbanisation here has unfolded in an entirely haphazard manner, leaving the city unprepared for its accompanying challenges. Instead of reaping the promised benefits of this phenomenon, Karachi embodies every conceivable disadvantage of unchecked urban growth: poor infrastructure, failing public services, environmental collapse, rising crime and deepening socioeconomic divides. The result is a metropolis where survival, not prosperity, remains the priority for far too many. Any study of Karachi's urban dysfunction will reveal that its decades-long decline is rooted in the weak and fragmented nature of its governance. As has been noted in this space before, less than half the city falls under the jurisdiction of city government authorities, with this fractured system deepening class divisions — where elites reside in upscale enclaves, while lower-income groups are left to battle neglect, exclusion from planning processes and inadequate public services. Politicised public institutions and a chronic lack of coordination among planning bodies have fuelled major urban failures, including a deteriorating housing stock, crumbling infrastructure, unreliable water supply, weakened local governments and growing climate vulnerabilities. The lack of coherent urban policy and enforcement has also fuelled chaotic expansion, with undocumented slums and peripheral settlements proliferating beyond the reach of basic services. This unchecked growth, in turn, has triggered an environmental crisis: solid waste overwhelms inadequate disposal systems, industrial pollution poisons air and water, and unrestrained construction devours green spaces, further eroding Karachi's liveability. It goes without saying that addressing Karachi's deep-rooted challenges demands a comprehensive restructuring of its governance and planning systems. First, it is essential to ensure that the city receives dedicated, long-term funding to upgrade its ageing infrastructure, expand essential services and build resilience against growing environmental threats. A World Bank study conducted by the Sindh government last year found that Karachi needs USD 3 billion annually just to modernise its dilapidated infrastructure. To meet such demands, sustainable revenue streams must be identified, recognising that investing in Karachi — given its centrality to Pakistan's economic, cultural and political lifeblood — will yield benefits not only for its residents but for the entire country. However, just throwing money at the problem won't be enough. Karachi needs its planning processes to actively involve local communities and homegrown experts, especially those with deep knowledge of the city's unique climate vulnerabilities that are often overlooked by external consultants. Development decisions must remain uninhibited by interference from the provincial and federal governments, with meaningful devolution of power through truly autonomous local governments. Crucially, the current fragmented governance structure must be addressed; as long as vast areas remain under separate entities like cantonment boards, a cohesive urban strategy will remain elusive. Back in 2015, Karachi ranked 135 out of 140 cities on the Global Liveability Index. A decade later, its continuing slide in the rankings lays bare the city's unchecked decline. This is a damning indictment of deep-seated governance failures, corruption and indifference of policymakers to the city's plight. It must be recognised that without radical governance and investment reforms, Karachi's downward trajectory will persist, dragging down its residents and the country alike. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store