Pakistan, ADB chart priorities for CPS 2026-2030

Priority interventions under the new Country Partnership Strategy for 2026 to 2030 were agreed upon by Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank, according to Mettis Global. The talks were held over breakfast in honour of Yingming Yang, ADB Vice President for South, Central and West Asia. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted the event and praised the bank's track record on urban infrastructure, transport and public services.

The Prime Minister said the government had achieved a difficult economic turnaround through fiscal, structural and governance reforms that restored macroeconomic stability and boosted investor confidence. Rating agencies including Fitch, Moody's and S&P have issued upgrades carrying a stable outlook, he noted, while administrative bottlenecks are being cleared through dedicated execution task forces. Discussions focused on modernising the ML-1 railway corridor between Karachi and Peshawar, which the Prime Minister described as essential for freight logistics and regional trade.

Talks also covered wider cooperation in private sector support, energy and food security, export competitiveness, and artificial intelligence and IT. The meeting also called for an early groundbreaking on ML-1, and both parties pledged to turn the CPS priorities into tangible, high-impact outcomes for sustainable growth. According to the release, the goal is a visible rise in living standards for Pakistan's people.