PM Shehbaz orders high-level review of World Bank fiscal federalism report

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met a World Bank delegation led by Country Director Ms. Bolormaa Amgaabazar in Islamabad, where the report “Strengthening Fiscal Federalism in Pakistan” was presented. The delegation briefed the prime minister on fiscal relations between the federation and provinces after the Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment and the Seventh NFC Award. The report reviewed revenues, expenditures, institutional coordination, and the use of public resources, while also giving policy recommendations for fiscal discipline, better service delivery, and stronger federal-provincial cooperation. The prime minister appreciated the World Bank’s analysis and directed the formation of a high-level committee to review the recommendations with all stakeholders. Can better fiscal coordination improve governance and development outcomes in Pakistan?