Pakistan–IMF review talks shift online after IMF team relocates from Islamabad to Istanbul
The Facts
- An IMF staff mission is in discussions with Pakistani authorities on the third review of Pakistan's Extended Fund Facility arrangement.
- The IMF review mission that had been in Pakistan left Islamabad and relocated to Turkey, with further negotiations to be conducted online from there.
- The IMF mission’s relocation from Islamabad to Istanbul followed an advisory from IMF headquarters amid regional security uncertainty after an attack on Iran attributed to the United States and Israel.
- Because of the relocation, a series of planned sectoral meetings in Islamabad was disrupted and the remaining schedule was converted to virtual meetings between Islamabad and Istanbul.
- The IMF review team expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s progress so far under the programme but highlighted medium‑term downside risks to the country’s economic outlook.
- During meetings in Islamabad, IMF representatives stressed that Pakistan’s growth cannot be sustained without the continuation of structural reforms.
- Virtual technical discussions between Pakistan and the IMF are focusing on external financing arrangements and the Federal Board of Revenue’s ability to meet revised tax collection targets for the current fiscal year.
Context
Why did the IMF mission leave Islamabad and move talks with Pakistan online?
The IMF staff mission left Islamabad for Istanbul after IMF headquarters issued an advisory in light of regional security uncertainty following an attack on Iran attributed to the United States and Israel, prompting the remaining meetings with Pakistani authorities to be shifted to a virtual format between Islamabad and Istanbul Dawn,GEO TV.
What aspects of Pakistan’s programme are being discussed in the virtual talks with the IMF?
The virtual discussions cover the third review of Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility and include technical talks on external financing arrangements and the Federal Board of Revenue’s capacity to meet revised tax collection targets for the rest of the fiscal year Dawn,GEO TV.
How has the IMF assessed Pakistan’s progress and what conditions is it emphasizing?
The IMF review team has expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s progress so far under the programme but has warned of medium‑term downside risks and emphasized that sustaining economic growth will require the continuation of structural reforms GEO TV,GEO TV.
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