State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad told senior executives at major global financial institutions — including JP Morgan, Barclays, and Citibank — that Pakistan's economy is better positioned to absorb shocks from the Middle East conflict than it was during previous crises, citing faster-than-expected improvements in key macroeconomic indicators. Speaking on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings in Washington, Ahmad highlighted that inflation averaged 5.7% over the first nine months of the current fiscal year, the external current account remained in surplus, and foreign exchange reserves climbed to $16.4 billion, with expectations of reaching $18 billion by June 2026. The central bank chief also pointed to a staff-level agreement with the IMF on a pending review of Pakistan's Extended Fund Facility as an independent endorsement of the country's reform commitments.