Foreign loan inflows rise 24pc in July-August

Dawn reported that foreign inflows, excluding the International Monetary Fund, rose 24 per cent to $1.703 billion over July and August of the current fiscal year, compared with $1.377 billion a year earlier. The increase followed the government's return to commercial borrowing, with August receipts alone reaching $940 million.

A $300 million commercial loan from United Bank Dubai and roughly $265 million more in Naya Pakistan Certificates from overseas Pakistanis drove the largest share of the rise. Investment from overseas Pakistanis in Naya Pakistan climbed almost 73 per cent to $630 million over the two months.

Multilateral and bilateral lenders, by contrast, provided $626 million, down 43.24 per cent from $1.103 billion, with bilateral inflows falling 85 per cent to just $35 million. The government has a budget target of about $24 billion in FEA for 2026-27, against slightly over $16 billion received in FY26, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.