ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar attended IMF/ World Bank Spring meetings through Zoom from Islamabad with a high-level IMF team headed by Jihad Azour Director Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD) on Wednesday and assured them that Pakistan is committed to fulfilling its obligations as agreed with the Fund.
The Finance Ministry in a statement said that Director IMF expressed his confidence that Staff Level Agreement (SLA) will be signed soon followed by the IMF Board’s approval. He hoped that Pakistan would continue towards its progress on the reforms in various sectors and complete the IMF Programme in time, and IMF will play its positive role in bringing economic stability in Pakistan.
The ministry added that the two sides discussed the progress made with the ongoing IMF programme, particularly talks held with the IMF Mission during their visit to Pakistan and implementation of IMF’s prior actions.
Ishaq Dar will not attend IMF-World Bank spring meetings: report
The finance minister mentioned that due to local important commitments, the Prime Minister has asked him to stay in Pakistan due to which he had to cancel his scheduled visit to Washington DC and therefore, he is attending the IMF/ World Bank Spring meetings via Zoom from Pakistan.
He apprised the IMF team about the economic challenges being faced by the country. He further shared the government’s vision for bringing about macroeconomic stability in the country.
He also informed that all prior actions for 9th Review under the Extended Fund Facility have already been completed and the government of Pakistan is fully committed to fulfil its obligations as agreed with the IMF.
He mentioned that the only IMF Program completed successfully was under his previous tenure as the finance minister. The finance minister thanked Director Jihad Azour and his IMF team for support extended in completing 9th Review.
The Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, Dr Aisha Ghous Pasha, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, and SAPM on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha attended the meeting virtually from Islamabad. Whereas, Ambassador of Pakistan to the USA Masood Ahmad Khan, Governor SBP Jamil Ahmad, secretary finance, and secretary EAD attended in person.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023