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ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan has launched its first-ever Research Agenda for 2026-2029, outlining a comprehensive roadmap aimed at strengthening evidence-based policymaking and addressing the country&rsquo;s most pressing economic challenges, said a statement from the country&#39;s central bank on Thursday. According to the statement, the initiative seeks to deepen research on inflation, financial stability, and long-term economic development as Pakistan navigates an increasingly complex global and domestic economic environment. The SBP statement added that rapid technological change, climate-related disruptions, geopolitical uncertainties, and persistent structural weaknesses have made economic policymaking more challenging than ever.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 649px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2064968546929795250&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e22c25f3fe8e9f979775494362a6886772c197fe&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> &quot;The new agenda is designed to provide policymakers with stronger analytical tools to respond to these evolving realities.&quot; The statement further said that the three-year framework is built around three major themes: Inflation Dynamics and Monetary Policy; Financial Sector Deepening; Soundness and Efficiency; and Structural Transformation and Economic Development. &quot;Under the first theme, the State Bank plans to examine inflation behavior, monetary policy transmission, inflation expectations, and the potential adoption of a flexible inflation-targeting framework. The agenda also highlights emerging issues such as digital finance, virtual assets, central bank digital currencies, artificial intelligence, and the transition towards a more Shariah-compliant banking system,&quot; it elaborates.<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/8dc2d89d-fad9-4d1e-8121-83265d7d41f8.png" style="width: 781px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> The statement further explains that the second theme focuses on strengthening Pakistan&rsquo;s financial sector by exploring ways to improve financial inclusion, expand credit access, enhance banking efficiency, and evaluate the impact of liquidity management and regulatory policies on economic growth. &quot;The third theme addresses broader structural challenges facing the economy, including informality, export competitiveness, foreign investment, remittances, climate risks, technological change, and governance reforms needed to support sustainable growth,&quot; the statement added. Importantly, the SBP has invited academics, policymakers, researchers, and industry experts to collaborate on the agenda. The central bank also plans to support selected priority research projects, encouraging a wider national effort to generate actionable policy recommendations. Officials say the initiative aligns with SBP Vision 2028 and will help strengthen the foundations for price stability, financial resilience, and inclusive economic development in Pakistan.

Economy

State Bank of Pakistan launches its first Research Agenda 2026–2029; Focuses on inflation, financial sector reforms, and economic transformation; Invites academics and researchers to support evidence-based policymaking.

Pakistan's central bank launches 3-year research roadmap for smarter economic policymaking

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acknowledged the World Bank Group&rsquo;s valuable support, which has been instrumental in advancing the country&rsquo;s economic development and reforms, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Monday. He was talking to World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga, who called on him at the PM House. Sharif <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/come-and-visit-us-pakistan-sees-market-at-the-cusp-of-transformation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">welcomed </a>Ajay Banga on his first official visit as president of the WBG. The prime minister appreciated the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-missing-60bn-export-potential-warns-world-bank" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">WBG </a>for its long-standing partnership with Pakistan and its commitment to supporting the country&rsquo;s development priorities, especially through the 10-year World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework (CPF). Impactful development partnerThe premier also appreciated Banga&rsquo;s leadership in transforming the WBG into a more impactful development partner. He stated that the government was vigorously working on an economic reform agenda with a multi-pronged, comprehensive, structural, homegrown program aimed at sustainable economic stability. The prime minister appreciated the support of the WBG in resilient infrastructure, agribusiness, digital development, energy, human capital, fiscal reforms, and increasing productive private investment for job creation and growth. PM Shehbaz and Banga reiterated the need to fast-track implementation and ensure strong oversight to deliver impact at speed and scale on CPF-aligned priorities. These measures would duly assist the prime minister&rsquo;s initiative to address and resolve implementation bottlenecks in development projects. Commitment to structural reformsThe prime minister expressed the government&rsquo;s commitment to structural reforms that would unlock job-rich growth and further strengthen investor confidence. Banga expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for his reception and hospitality in Pakistan. Banga commended the Government of Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing reform efforts and reaffirmed his commitment to deepening cooperation through a One World Bank Group approach. He added that greater leverage of private resources, in addition to strong coordination with development partners, was necessary to meet the ambitions of the government&rsquo;s reform agenda.

The prime minister appreciates the support of the WBG in resilient infrastructure, agribusiness, digital development, energy, human capital, fiscal reforms, and increasing productive private investment for job creation and growth.

Articles tagged with "Economic Development"

Pakistan's central bank launches 3-year research roadmap for smarter economic policymaking

PM Sharif lauds World Bank support for Pakistan’s economic development, reforms