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Wednesday, April 02, 2025  
03 Shawwal 1446  

IMF mission to meet judicial authorities for governance assessment: report

Miftah Ismail says 'most likely' there will be condition next year, where IMF would ask for changes in laws
Reuters/File
Reuters/File

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission is scheduled to meet with officials from the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and the Supreme Court on Tuesday (today), Business Recorder reported.

The Fund’s mission landed in Pakistan to conduct a Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment (GCDA) under the country’s 2024 Extended Fund Facility programme.

On Monday, the mission reviewed the Federal Land Commission, the Financial Monitoring Unit, the National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Authority (AML/CFT Authority), and the Federal Board of Revenue.

The news outlet while citing sources said that the IMF mission received updates on initiatives aimed at combating corruption and preventing financial crimes, including measures to identify suspicious transactions and tackle money laundering.

The IMF emphasised the importance of digitising land records and was also informed about strategies to counter terrorist financing.

The FBR provided insights on digitisation efforts, along with strategies to combat smuggling and tax evasion.

The IMF delegation has already met with officials from the Federal Land Commission and the Financial Monitoring Unit. Moreover, discussions were held with representatives from the Cabinet Division, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Law.

In a meeting with officials from the judiciary, the delegation would receive briefings on the judge appointment process and related constitutional and legal matters.

The three-member IMF mission would also be engaged with top officials from various ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Climate Change, Housing and Works, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, and the Auditor General of Pakistan.

The mission aims to evaluate the extent of corruption vulnerabilities within six key state functions, such as fiscal governance, central bank operations, market regulation, and the rule of law. The IMF scoping team will be in Pakistan until February 14.

The GCDA report was expected to outline recommendations for addressing corruption issues and enhancing governance.

IMF will publish its report in July 2025: Miftah

The IMF has for long said that it would review the measures for good governance and anti-corruption in the world, especially in countries which loan from it, former finance minister Miftah Ismail said on Monday.

“In our IMF programme, we have written that the IMF mission will come here and we will give it access… after which it will publish a report in July 2025,” he said while appearing on the Aaj News programme News Insight with Amir Zia.

He went on to add that the Fund mission usually meets the law minister and the finance ministry officials. “Since there is a controversy in Pakistan, I have heard that it would meet CJP and JCP members, so a report will be released. I think after the report, the IMF would place conditions for bringing improvements in this area for next year.”

When asked, the former finance minister stated that “most likely” there would be a condition next year, where the IMF would ask for changes in the laws.

He revealed that the IMF mission reads Pakistani newspapers, including a translation of Urdu newspaper stories, to have an overview of the country’s political and economic situation. Miftah was highlighting the February 8 elections.

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To a question, he said that the GDP per head, per person real income, has been decreasing for the last three years. It would continue to decrease this year, Miftah claimed and explained that the pace of income increase was decreased.

The former finance minister took a jab at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for doing an advertisement with a model girl as several hungry children were not shown on the television.

He used the term “revealed preference” while explaining the “lack of will” of elites to provide education to children. “They have no intention to serve. There are families are ruling and we have Imran Khan’s dictatorial decision in PTI and only his wife can make the decision.”

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Supreme Court

Pakistan

IMF

Miftah Ismail

International Monetary Fund

Judicial Commission of Pakistan

Federal Board of Revenue