Shaukat says Reforms helped country achieve high growth rate: World Bank role lauded

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here on Tuesday that the economic progress and reforms have enabled the country to achieve high growth rate, doubling per capita income and reducing poverty. He was talking to World Bank Executive Director Shuja Shah who called on him at the PM House.
He said that Pakistan's structural reforms agenda and good governance were the key drivers to transform the economy and lead the country onto the path of high growth, development and prosperity. He termed the reforms as holistic, covering a broad range of subjects, to help meet the challenges of globalisation.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan values its relationship with development partners, particularly the World Bank, which had increased its assistance to about $1.5 billion per year for investment in infrastructure, health, education and to continue the process of reforms.
He appreciated the role of World Bank in assisting Pakistan, and said that the operation should enhance and expand to undertake major infrastructure projects including construction of big dams, roads network and to improve the social sector particularly health and education facilities.
The Prime Minister said many of the World Bank projects had resulted in opportunities of high income generation for the people thus reducing poverty and improving the standard of living.
The World Bank Executive Director said the Bank appreciated the economic management and reforms initiated by the Government of Pakistan and sees itself as long-term development partner of Pakistan. He said that the upcoming visit of World Bank President Robert B Zoellick would further strengthen the ties between Pakistan and the World Bank and would result in increased cooperation between them.