Pakistan has asked the International Finance Corporation to make IFC investments in Pakistan more targeted, with clear criteria that steer money toward sectors likely to create jobs, lift exports and raise productivity. The request was made by Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, who met IFC's managing director, Makhtar Diop, on the sidelines of the 2026 annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF in Bangkok, according to a press release. The government says its focus has moved from steadying the economy to productive investment and employment, and it wants the IFC to back private companies in that shift.
Four priority areas
Small and medium enterprises, housing finance, agriculture and public-private partnerships were named as areas for closer engagement. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation, the release said.
On small businesses, Cheema asked the IFC to help draft a full roadmap, strengthen the institutional capacity of SMEDA, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, and widen access to finance. On housing, he stressed the need to bring in long-term private finance and risk-sharing tools to make homes more affordable.
In agriculture, he asked for greater IFC participation under the AgriConnect initiative, covering farmer financing, agro-processing, export-quality standards and private wheat storage. For public-private partnerships, he invited the IFC to give technical support to the Public Private Partnership Authority so it can develop bankable projects that draw in private capital. Diop, for his part, called for a comprehensive strategy for MSMEs to support their growth and improve their access to finance.
Portfolio growth and a proposed start-up fund
Cheema welcomed the growth of the IFC's portfolio in Pakistan, which the release said had risen fourfold since 2022 to around US$3 billion in 2026. He said the IFC's presence had become more visible and its engagement with the government stronger after the placement of division directors in the country.
The two sides also discussed a proposed Fund of Funds meant to support start-ups and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The release does not say when the fund would start or how large it would be.
How success will be judged
Cheema said IFC investments in Pakistan should be judged not only by the capital mobilised, but also by the jobs created, exports generated and businesses strengthened. He added that opportunities for women, youth and smaller enterprises should count too, which links the partnership to private sector jobs in Pakistan. He also called for closer coordination across the World Bank Group so that financing, technical expertise and institutional support lead to faster implementation.
No agreement on new projects or final criteria has been announced in the release, so the next steps remain to be seen.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan ne IFC se kaha hai ke wo private sector ko zyada madad de, khaaskar chhote karobar, ghar, zarai shobay aur PPP projects mein. IFC ka portfolio taqreeban US$3 bn tak pohanch gaya hai, lekin abhi koi nayi scheme ya tareekh nahi bataayi gayi. Aam logon ke liye iska matlab hai ke agar ye faislay amal mein aaye to qarz aur naukriyon ke mauqe barh sakte hain. Filhal ye sirf baat cheet hai, is liye asar dekhne ke liye agle updates ka intezar karein.
