The Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, chaired a meeting at the Ministry of Finance on Saturday to review budget preparations, ahead of his forthcoming visit to Washington D.C. for participation in the Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. The meeting was attended by the Finance Secretary, Secretary Economic Affairs Division, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources.
The Finance Secretary briefed the Finance Minister on the status of preparations for the budget for FY 2017-18. He said that interaction with all stakeholders is being actively undertaken for the preparations and the prescribed timelines are being followed strictly. The Finance Secretary also briefed the Minister on the progress of various ongoing economic reforms being undertaken by the government, including in the energy sector.
The Finance Minister said that extensive interaction with all stakeholders has been a hallmark of PML(N)’s budget exercises. He said that the present government has held comprehensive consultations with all stakeholders and various experts during budget preparations every year, and the same is being ensured this year as well. The Finance Minister said that, as always, improving the well-being of the general public and addressing their needs will be the utmost priority of the government in the forthcoming budget.
Referring to the recently successfully concluded Article IV Consultations with the IMF, the Finance Minister said that implementation of necessary economic reforms in the country must continue with the same vigour and determination as has been done over the past four years. He said that successful implementation of economic reforms will play a vital role in achieving higher, sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
