Pakistan, IMF to begin fourth review talks on September 22

Profit by Pakistan Today reported that discussions on the fourth review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility will open on September 22 between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund. The talks will run alongside Article IV consultations, which had been paused for two years. Sessions will be held in Karachi and Islamabad and are expected to last about two weeks.

IMF Resident Mission Chief Mahir Binci said a Fund mission will travel to Pakistan over the coming weeks, ahead of its next programme assessment and Article IV work. He noted that a review mission typically takes about two weeks. Pakistani officials have also confirmed the review team should reach the country soon.

Before the talks, the government sent the IMF reworked monthly and yearly import statistics, correcting gaps that totalled billions of dollars. The mission will also examine the government's plan to implement the Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment report. Article IV findings will go to the IMF Executive Board and be published together with the programme review report.