Business

IMF team to meet Imran Khan seeking assurance on bailout package

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

IMF team to meet PML-N, PPP and PTI.
Lender wants assurance ahead of polls.
IMF board to take up Pakistan case on July 12.

KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seeking the support of major political parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), for a recently announced $3 billion bailout programme, the lender said on Friday.

The IMF’s resident representative Esther Perez Ruiz said in a statement that the meetings with political parties were to “seek assurances of their support for the key objectives and policies under a new IMF-supported program ahead of the approaching national elections.”

The official added that they will also meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). However, there is no confirmation from them.

Pakistan secured a badly needed $3 billion stand-by arrangement (SBA) from the IMF on Friday, giving the South Asian economy a much-awaited respite as it teeters on the brink of default.

The staff-level agreement on the SBA is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board which is scheduled to meet on July 12.

The previous Extended Fund Facility expired on June 30, with the 9th, 10th, and 11th reviews pending.

PTI confirms meeting

Senior PTI leader and former finance minister Hammad Azhar took to Twitter, saying the party’s economic team has been approached by the IMF to solicit its support for the loan agreement and its broad objectives.

“An IMF team will call on party Chairman Imran Khan at Zaman Park this afternoon,” he tweeted.

Azhar said that both PTI’s economic team and the IMF team will join, in person and virtually, to take part in the discussions.

Business

PKR soars against USD as remittances soar

Published

16 mins ago

Farwa

The interbank currency rate for the US dollar is currently Rs278.60.

In August 2024, remittances from workers in Pakistan increased significantly, totaling $2.9 billion. This represents a 40.5% increase over the same month the previous year, underscoring the vital role that Pakistanis living abroad play in bolstering the national economy.

The total amount of remittances received during the first two months of the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) was $5.9 billion, a 44% increase over the $4.1 billion received during the same period in the previous fiscal year (FY24).

In August 2024, Saudi Arabia was the top contributor of remittances, at $713.1 million. Following with $538.4 million, the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) contributed $322.4 million and $474.8 million, respectively. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) came in second.

Business

IMF does not list Pakistan till September 18.

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Pakistan’s 37-month Extended Fund Facility Arrangement (EFF) of around $7 billion is not included in the IMF schedule for the executive board meeting, which is scheduled for September 9, 13, and 18. This information is based on the Fund’s website.

A deal on the 37-month loan package was agreed in July between Pakistan and the IMF.

The Fund’s Executive Board must approve the new programme before it can be implemented, but it should allow Pakistan to “cement macroeconomic stability and create conditions for stronger, more inclusive, and resilient growth,” the statement reads.

“The programme aims to capitalise on the hard-won macroeconomic stability achieved over the past year by furthering efforts to strengthen public finances, reduce inflation, rebuild external buffers, and remove economic distortions to spur private sector-led growth,” the IMF statement stated, citing Nathan Porter, the head of the Fund’s mission to Pakistan.

Notably, the administration is allegedly trying to get important allies like China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to roll over $12 billion in loans.

Business

It is anticipated that 150 ships would arrive at Gwadar by the year 2045, allowing the port to handle fifty percent of all imports.

Published

5 days ago

Farwa

In an effort to strengthen the port’s economic importance, the Federal Government has made the decision to direct fifty percent of all imports from the public sector to Gwadar Port.

By taking this action, which has the backing of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the port’s financial situation is going to be improved.

The Cabinet will be presented with a summary of imports through Gwadar by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, which will take place after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent trip to China.

When the next Cabinet Meeting takes place, Ahsan Iqbal, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, will examine the Chinese offer for the Karachi to Hyderabad Section of the ML-1 Project and bring it to the Cabinet.

Company preparations for the Shanghai International Import Expo, which will take place in November 2024, are being made by the Board of Investment and the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan.

One of the most important aspects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the Gwadar port, which serves as a significant commerce route connecting China, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. At this time, the Gwadar Port is able to accommodate two huge ships, and by the year 2045, it is anticipated that it would be able to handle up to 150 ships.

By developing the Gwadar Port, regional connectivity would be improved, employment will be created, and international investment will be attracted.