Q1FY24: $3.527bn borrowed from multiple financing sources

ISLAMABAD: The country borrowed $3.527 billion from multiple financing sources during the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year 2023-24 compared to $2.234 billion borrowed during the same period of 2022-23, revealed the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) data.

The data further shows that the country received $320.92 million in September 2023 compared to $625.86 million in September 2022.

The government has budgeted $2.4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the current fiscal year 2023-24 and received $1.2 billion as the first tranche of the $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) in July 2023, however, the EAD data does not reflect it.

Jul-Aug period: Borrowing from multiple financing sources stands at $3.206bn

Further there is no mention of $1 billion disbursed by the UAE. If the IMF and the UAE inflows is added, the total inflows would reach $5.727 billion during the first three month of current fiscal year.

The $3.527 billion included $2 billion received from Saudi Arabia under the head of time deposit during July 2023. The data further shows that the government had budgeted estimates of $4.5 billion from the foreign commercial banks for the current fiscal year 2023-24, however no money was received under this head during the first three months of the current fiscal year.

The government had budgeted $1.5 billion from issuance of bonds, however, the country is yet to issue the bonds, hence no amount is received so far.

The government had budgeted $17.619 billion from multiple financing sources for the current fiscal year including $17.384 billion loans and $234.60 million grants.

The country borrowed $10.844 billion from multiple financing sources including $2.206 billion from foreign commercial banks during the fiscal year 2022-23 against the budgeted foreign assistance of $22.817 billion. However, the $10.844 billion did not include the rollover of friendly countries’ deposits amounting to $6 billion (i.e. $3 billion each from China and Saudi Arabia), and re-financing of Chinese loan of $1.3 billion.

The country received $204.51 million under the head of “Naya Pakistan Certificate” during the first three months of current fiscal year 2023-24.

The country received $490.48 million from multilaterals and $324.05 million from bilateral during July-September 2023-24. The non-project aid was $2.653 billion including $2.253 billion for budgetary support and project aid was $873.97 million.

China disbursed $508.34 million under the head guaranteed for the JF-17 B project funded by China National Aero-technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC). China further disbursed 0.35 million in July-September against the government budgeted of $18.54 million for the current fiscal year.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) disbursed $61.75 million during the period under review compared to the budgeted $2.086 billion for the fiscal year 2023-24.

Saudi Arabia disbursed $300 million against the budgeted $600 million under the head of oil facility during July-September 2023-24. The USA disbursed $13.98 million in the first three months against the budgeted $21.60 million for the fiscal year. Korea disbursed $4.85 million and France $1.28 million during the current fiscal year.

The IDA disbursed $240.93 million in July-September against the budgeted $1.489 billion for the current fiscal year and IBRD $58.45 million against the budgeted $840.36 million. IsDB (Short-term) disbursed $100 million in July-September against the budgeted $500 million for the current fiscal year and AIIB disbursed $22.96 million, while IFAD disbursed $6.38 million against the budgeted $42.68 million for the current fiscal year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023