ISLAMABAD: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will visit Pakistan from September 25 to October 8 for the second economic review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), sources confirmed.
Talks will begin with technical discussions followed by policy-level dialogue. The delegation is scheduled to meet officials from the ministries of finance, energy, and planning, along with the State Bank of Pakistan, FBR, OGRA, NEPRA, and other relevant institutions.
Separate meetings will also be held with the governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.
Sources said Pakistan has met the targets required for the release of the third tranche of the EFF. The country’s budget deficit, current account balance, and non-tax revenues have remained within the IMF’s limits. Inflation has also stayed below the 5.1% target.
However, revenue collection fell slightly short due to the damage caused by floods, which also hit key crops such as rice, maize, and cotton. This may impact overall economic growth projections.
The sources added that the tax revenue policy board has now been placed under the finance ministry.
If the review is completed successfully, it will clear the way for IMF Board approval of the next $1 billion tranche from the $7 billion program, of which Pakistan has already received more than $2 billion in two installments.