IMF says support to Pak for sustainable growth to continue

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that it is ready to continue supporting Pakistan to achieve the objectives of debt sustainability.
“We stand ready to continue supporting Pakistan to achieve the objectives of debt sustainability and strong and sustainable growth,” the IMF spokesperson said on Friday.
Pakistan has a $6 billion IMF programme that began in 2019. The government and the IMF staff have been in talks in recent months to try to finalise the programme’s latest progress review but are yet to reach agreement.
“No date is currently set for concluding these (review) talks, as we are focused on the reforms and policy steps needed to achieve the programme objectives,” which include reducing debt and reforming the country’s energy sector, the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson said that the IMF is carefully watching the Taliban’s advance in Afghanistan, adding it is too early to predict the economic spillover in neighbouring Pakistan.
“The IMF is carefully watching the fast-moving situation on the ground in Afghanistan,” said the spokesperson. “It is premature to speculate on the outcome and potential economic spillovers to Pakistan”. – TLTP