PM heaps praise on World Bank country director

PM heaps praise on World Bank country director

ISLAMABAD: In a sendoff dripping with praise, the World Bank鈥檚 outgoing Pakistan boss Najy Benhassine on Thursday gave Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a full-blown economic endorsement, crediting him with dragging the country back from the economic brink and calling his leadership 鈥渢ransformational.鈥

During a farewell meeting, Benhassine did not hold back, applauding Sharif and his economic crew especially Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for steering Pakistan away from a catastrophic default and laying down the yellow brick road to recovery.

鈥淯nder Prime Minister Sharif鈥檚 leadership, the economic team saved Pakistan from the threat of default and set it on the path to stability,鈥 Benhassine said, calling the PM鈥檚 game plan a roadmap out of ruin. 鈥淒espite daunting challenges, your leadership helped transition the country from crisis to growth.鈥

Top ministers and World Bank brass 鈥 including Operations Manager Giles Dragelis 鈥 turned the meeting into a full-blown praise parade for Team Shehbaz, hailing their gritty handling of Pakistan鈥檚 fiscal nightmares. Benhassine, who served through one of Pakistan鈥檚 rockiest financial chapters, did not forget the 2022 floods, either. 鈥淵ou worked tirelessly for the relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit communities,鈥 he said, adding that the nation would not forget the government鈥檚 hustle.

Sharif, ever the diplomat, returned the love and praise with gratitude and applause for Benhassine鈥檚 role in beefing up the World Bank鈥檚 game plan in Pakistan.

鈥淵ou played a pivotal role in strengthening the partnership between Pakistan and the World Bank,鈥 Sharif said. 鈥淵our cooperation and dedication will be remembered in kind words by the people of this country.鈥

Sharif chalked up the turnaround to grit, grind, and some serious elbow grease. 鈥淪tability didn鈥檛 happen overnight, it is the result of tireless work by a dedicated team,鈥 he declared. With heavyweights like Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, and Muhammad Aurangzeb in the room, Sharif bid farewell to Benhassine with a hint of sentiment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

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