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The IMF executive board will meet on April 29 to discuss the release of $1.1 billion to Pakistan, according to the report.

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The cash represents the second and final tranche of a $3 billion standby agreement with the IMF, which was acquired last summer to avoid a sovereign default and expires this month.

The South Asian nation is looking for a fresh, longer-term IMF loan. Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has stated that Islamabad expects to get a staff-level agreement on the new programme by early July.

Islamabad says it wants a loan for at least three years to help with macroeconomic stability and to carry out long-overdue and painful structural reforms, but Aurangzeb has declined to specify what type of programme the country wants.

Read more: Pakistan plans to agree on the outline of a new IMF loan in May. Fin-Min Aurangzeb

Pakistan has yet to make a formal request, but the Fund and the government are already in discussions.

If secured, it will be Pakistan’s 24th IMF bailout.

The $350 billion economy is experiencing a chronic balance of payment crisis, with nearly $24 billion in debt and interest to repay over the next fiscal year – three times the amount of foreign currency reserves held by the central bank.

Pakistan’s finance ministry expects the economy to grow by 2.6% in the current fiscal year, which ends in June, while average inflation is expected to be 24%, down from 29.2% in fiscal year 2023/2024. Last May, inflation soared to a record high of 38%.

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SIFC Backs China-Pakistan Shale Gas Initiative: $30 million is invested in shale gas development by OGDCL.

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The Pakistani government is receiving assistance from the Special Investment Facilitation Council in the exploration of new petroleum deposits, including shale gas.

To increase Pakistan’s potential for shale and tight gas, the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) of Pakistan and the China Central Depository and Clearing Company (CCDC) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
As part of the agreement, CCDC will help OGDCL with exploration and production by offering drilling and upstream oil field services. Through this agreement, energy self-sufficiency will be attained by utilizing Pakistan’s energy resources.

It is anticipated that the MoU will make the nation rely more on natural resources and less on imports.

OGDCL has committed 30 million dollars to develop shale gas reserves to suit the country’s energy needs. The goal of this partnership with China is to meet rising demand for energy by making use of regional resources.

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Airport outsourcing in Islamabad: Turkish company’s offer is formally “approved”

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The Secretary of Aviation, Ahsan Mangi, is set to brief the Prime Minister on the outsourcing progress today.

In September, the Ministry of Aviation initiated steps towards the potential outsourcing of Pakistan’s three major airports, including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.

Sources close to the development revealed that the ministry requested updated data regarding passenger traffic and flight operations over the past two years at these airports.

In addition to passenger and flight statistics, the Ministry of Aviation also sought detailed information on the revenue and contracts associated with the operations of the three airports.

Ahsan Mangi, the secretary of aviation, is scheduled to brief the prime minister on the status of the outsourcing project today.

The Ministry of Aviation began taking steps in September to investigate the possibility of outsourcing Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, the country’s three main airports.

According to people with knowledge of the situation, the ministry asked for updated information on the number of passengers and flights conducted at these airports during the previous two years.

The Ministry of Aviation requested comprehensive data on the income and contracts related to the operations of the three airports, in addition to passenger and flight statistics.

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Pakistan Looks To China For Investment In Important Sectors: SIFC Encourages New Chinese Projects

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Due to the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s assistance, Chinese businessmen are showing a revived interest in Pakistan. Pakistan has recently sent high-ranking delegations to China to promote investment in industries such as renewable energy, medical equipment, leather, plastics, textiles, and plastics.

At port Qasim in Karachi, the Chinese solar panel manufacturer “Renesola Pakistan” intends to set up an assembly plant capable of producing up to 4 gigawatts of solar energy. An electric bike, scooter, and tricycle assembly plant is planned to be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the Xiamen Sino-Pak International consulting and investment firm.

Pakistan’s renewable energy sector is of interest to Hexing Electrical, and the Ruyi Shandong Group intends to develop textile parks that meet international standards. Pakistan will also see the establishment of factories by Rainbow Industries Limited and Shaoxing Chemical Industry.

An exploration memorandum on shale and tight gas potential has been inked by the oil and gas development business and CCDI.

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