ISLAMABAD – A team of Pakistani officials have started talks with theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) in Doha today (Wednesday) in a bid torevive the $6 billion loan programme secured by the South Asian country in2019.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Minister of State for Finance Dr. AishaGhous Pasha, Finance Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Shaikh, Acting Governor StateBank of Pakistan Dr. Murtaza Syed, Chairman FBR Asim Ahmad and seniorofficers from Finance Division joined the talks virtually.
Pakistan has so far received $3 billion under the IMF’s Extended FundsFacility (EFF) and it will get another tranche of $900 million if theongoing seventh review is wrapped up successfully.
The global lender stopped the seventh review after the previous governmentof PTI announced a relief package worth $1.7 billion without consent of IMF.
Last week, Miftah Ismail travelled to the US to hold talks with the IMFwherein the latter agreed to extend the stalled bailout programme by up toone year and increase the loan size to $8 billion.
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After the initial talks, Ismail had also hinted at carrying forward the IMFprogramme and agreed to withdraw subsidies on fuel and electricity inphases.
The IMF said it has no objection to the Income Support Programme and addedthat Pakistan could continue subsidies for the marginalised section of thesociety.
The IMF has also shown its consent to continuation of the Sehat Card scheme.
