IMF mission likely to arrive on 23rd

Business Recorder reported that a team from the International Monetary Fund is expected to arrive in Pakistan on September 23. The visit will take up the latest reviews under the Extended Fund Facility and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiyani had hinted at that date during informal talks with reporters on Thursday.

The mission will carry out a broad assessment of the economy under Article IV and begin negotiations on the next loan tranche under both facilities. Tax collection, energy sector changes and privatisation progress will be examined, alongside governance and anti-corruption steps, with particular attention to openness in filling senior posts at key institutions.

Any staff-level agreement would still require approval from the IMF Executive Board, after which Pakistan could draw roughly USD 1 billion through the EFF along with USD 200 million via the RSF. So far Pakistan has obtained USD 4.8 billion through both programmes. The finance ministry has directed relevant ministries to finish preparations and submit progress updates on commitments made to the lender, and the mission is expected to start in Karachi with State Bank of Pakistan officials before travelling to Islamabad for meetings with the economic team.