Islamabad:

International Finance Corporation’s Chief Makhtar Diop has said IFC increases stock investments and looks at large -scale infrastructure financing in Pakistan in an investment plan that could unlock $ 2 billion annually over a decade.

“Between now and maybe October we will be able to move on enough on a few transactions that will signal that this is a country ready to receive large -scale financing for critical and important infrastructure,” Makhtar Diop, the company’s company The CEO told Reuters to Reuters during his visit to Pakistan.

International Finance Corporation Chief’s Maiden visit to Pakistan follows the World Bank’s plans to allocate up to $ 20 billion to Pakistan according to a national partnership framework announced in January, with IFC (World Bank’s private investment arm) also split to invest the same amount.

Diop said an annual $ 2 billion investment is not a large number “for Pakistan who need infrastructure development at international airports, energy, water and ports.

According to Reuters, IFC had an exposure of $ 2.1 billion in Pakistan in the 2024 financial year, which ended in June and marked its record investment in the South Asian country’s economy of $ 350 billion.

Diop said IFC is looking at agriculture, infrastructure, the “very important” financial sector and the digital sector.

Diop said stock -based transactions should also be expected in Pakistan.

“Debt will still be a very important part of our business, but our equity will rise in the world, but also in Pakistan. That means we really believe in Pakistan because we can take equity for a long, long time,” he said .