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Published 25 Oct, 2023 10:58am

Pakistan likely to secure second tranche as IMF team due next week

A team of International Monetary Fund officials will arrive in Pakistan on November 2 to review the country’s performance under the current program and discuss the release the next loan tranche.

The second tranche is expected to be around $710 million. The first tranche worth $1.2 billion out of a total agreed amount of $3 billion was released in July.

The IMF team, led by Nathan Porter, will review Pakistan’s actions during the July-September period.

A key point of the discussion is the external financing gaps faced by the government, as not all of the loans Pakistan expected to receive have materialised.

A report claimed that recent talks with IMF have focused on the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the prospects of next elections, and the mandate of the interim government.

News reports have also claimed that the government is confident of satisfying the IMF’s scrutiny, especially on exchange rate. The value of the rupee has appreciated in recent weeks after a crackdown by the government on smuggling and hoarding.

The $3 billion Staff-Level Agreement was signed with the IMF after long talks that ennded with Pakistan abandoning the previous $6.5 billion program without completing it.

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