Finance Minister Tells World Bank How Pakistan’s Youth Will Become More Successful

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb held a meeting with a World Bank Group delegation led by Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development, to discuss Pakistan’s priorities in health, education, skills development, social protection, and technology-enabled service delivery.

Welcoming the delegation, the finance minister appreciated the World Bank’s continued support for Pakistan’s development agenda and noted that while the country has made progress in restoring macroeconomic stability, the government’s focus is increasingly shifting toward improving social and human development outcomes. He emphasized the importance of targeted investments in health, education, workforce development, and social protection.

The minister highlighted Pakistan’s large youth population as both a major opportunity and a key policy priority. He stressed the need to improve human capital indicators, increase workforce participation, and equip young people with skills that match evolving labor market requirements.

Discussions covered a wide range of human development issues, including maternal and child health, nutrition, immunization, early childhood development, education outcomes, and population-related challenges. The World Bank delegation emphasized the importance of improving child nutrition, reducing stunting, strengthening foundational learning, and expanding access to quality healthcare and education services.

Both sides also discussed the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in healthcare, education, and workforce development. The finance minister underscored the need to prepare Pakistan’s workforce for a rapidly changing global economy, while the World Bank shared international experiences related to technology-driven service delivery and healthcare financing.

A significant portion of the meeting focused on skills development and employment generation. Participants discussed workforce readiness, technical and vocational training, stronger industry linkages, and greater private sector participation in skills programs to better align training with labor market demand.

The World Bank delegation also invited Pakistan to participate in a global forum on Universal Health Coverage scheduled to be held in Japan later this year. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration on health, education, social protection, workforce development, and technology-led reforms aimed at supporting inclusive and sustainable economic growth.