Pakistan has been named the incoming chair of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group for 2027. It last held the role in 1953, 74 years ago.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced this on Friday. Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, who is also Pakistan’s governor to the World Bank, was formally named during the plenary session of the 2026 WBG-IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok.
The ministry called it a “historic milestone.” It said the role would let Pakistan contribute to global economic and development discussions and help member countries talk constructively.
The meetings run from October 12 to 18. They have brought together more than 15,000 participants from 191 countries.
Pakistan is also expected to receive about $1.2 billion from the IMF. This is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board. IMF staff and Pakistani authorities have agreed on the latest reviews of two loan programmes:
- A $7 billion Extended Fund Facility, used to meet balance-of-payments needs and support reforms.
- A $1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility, which gives longer-term financing to help Pakistan deal with climate risks.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is in Bangkok leading Pakistan’s delegation. He is holding high-level meetings with financial institutions, finance ministers, policymakers and investors. He also met World Bank Group President Ajay Banga at a dinner hosted by the Thai prime minister. State-run Pakistan TV described it as an informal interaction.
Source: The Telegraph
