*ISLAMABAD – Will Pakistan still go for IMF bailout package after Saudioffer of $6 billion?*

*Pakistan still plans to seek a bailout from the International MonetaryFund (IMF) despite a Saudi Arabian offer of a $6 billion rescue package,Pakistan’s finance ministry said on Wednesday.*

“Yes, we are going ahead into program negotiations with (IMF) in the firstweek of November,” Noor Ahmed, spokesman for the ministry, told Reuters ina text message.

On Tuesday, Pakistan announced Saudi Arabia had agreed to give Pakistan $3billion in foreign currency support for a year and a further loan worth upto $3 billion in deferred payments for oil imports to help stave off acurrent account crisis.

Pakistan’s main stock market index shot up 3.3 percent in early trading onthe news of the Saudi help.