The Pakistan Stock Exchange closed in the green zone on Friday as the investors’ sentiments improved following positive developments on the political and economic fronts.

The benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 190.67 points or 0.29% to settle at 65,793.75 levels at the market closing.

However, the KSE-30 Index shed 105.08 points or 0.48% to reach 22,008.31 levels at the closing of the trading session.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it will support formulating a new economic programme for Pakistan if the country’s new government seeks one, while encouraging the fair resolution of all electoral disputes.

Read: IMF asks govt to impose Rs1,300 billion in taxes

“We look forward to engaging with the new government to complete the second review under the current stand-by arrangement and, should the government request, support the formulation of a new medium-term economic program,” an IMF spokesperson said in an e-mail.

The global lending institution also declined a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) request to audit the February 8 election results.

“The IMF, as an international institution with a narrow mandate on economic issues, does not comment on domestic political developments,” a spokesperson for the IMF said.

On the political front, Pakistan is gearing up for the presidential election that has PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari up against Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on March 9.

While Achakzai is backed by Imran Khan’s PTI, Zardari enjoys the support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and MQM-P among others.