Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to meet Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the International Geneva Conference scheduled to be held on 9 January, the IMF spokesperson Esther Pérez Ruiz said on Sunday.
She said in a statement that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a constructive meeting with the Fund’s managing director Kristalina Georgieva on 6 January regarding the Geneva Conference. She said that the managing director extended her sympathy to the flood victims and supported Pakistan’s efforts to do a more resilient recovery.
She added that an International Monetary Fund delegation is expected to hold a meeting with Ishaq Dar on the Geneva Conference sidelines and they would discuss important issues and will likely find a way forward on the Fund’s loan programme.
Pakistan entered 6bn-dollar IMF programme in 2019
Pakistan entered a 6-billion-dollar IMF programme in 2019, which was further increased to $7 billion last year. The 9th review of the programme which would release 1.8 billion dollars, is currently pending. It had earlier been stopped for two months due to the government’s unwillingness to accept some conditions of the Fund. Disagreements have yet to be resolved.
The latest statement from the IMF’s spokesperson comes two days after prime minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a delegation of the Fund would visit Pakistan in 2 to 3 days to complete the 9th review of the IMF 7b-dollar loan programme for the country.
On Friday, International Monetary Fund MD Kristalina Georgieva telephoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and reiterated her commitment to help out Pakistan in a tough time.
