IMF-Pakistan loan talks on track, will share ‘good news’ today: Dar

IMF-Pakistan loan talks on track, will share ‘good news’ today: Dar

Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Finance Minister Ishaq has said that talks between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are on track and the government will share “good news” with the nation today.

“I am going to meet the IMF mission. The final round of talks with the Fund is currently underway,” Dar said while talking to the media here on Thursday.

“Talks are on track and we will share good news today,” he maintained and added, “There are no differences with the IMF team.”

The IMF mission has been in Islamabad since Jan 31 to sort out the differences over fiscal policy that has stalled the release of more than $1 billion from $6.5 billion bailout package signed in 2019.

Funding from IMF is crucial for Pakistan's $350-billion economy facing a balance-of-payments crisis with foreign exchange reserves dipping to less than three weeks of import cover.

On Wednesday, IMF Mission Chief Nathan Porter held a one-on-one meeting with Ishaq Dar at the PM House.

According to a finance ministry statement issued late in the evening, talks with the IMF focused on the fiscal table and financing amongst other key matters.