ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan to seek support on the $3 billion bailout programme.
Senior PTI leader and former finance minister Hammad Azhar said the IMF approached the party’s economic team to gain support for the agreement and its broad objectives.
Hammad Azhar said the IMF team contacted PTI a few days ago and requested to support the agreement.
He said the draft nine-month standby agreement with the IMF will be presented to the IMF’s board in Washington next week for approval.
In this regard, “An IMF team will call on party Chairman Imran Khan at Zaman Park this afternoon,” he added.
Azhar said that both PTI’s economic team and the IMF team based in person and those abroad will join virtually to take part in the discussions.
PTI’s economic team has been approached by the IMF to solicit the party’s support for the USD 3 BN Stand-By Agreement and its broad objectives.
An IMF team will call on Party Chairman Imran Khan at Zaman Park this afternoon. Both PTI’s economic team and the IMF team will join, in…— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) July 7, 2023
The IMF’s resident representative Esther Perez Ruiz said in a statement that the meetings with political parties were to “seek assurances of their support for the key objectives and policies under a new IMF-supported program ahead of the approaching national elections.”
The official added that they will also meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Pakistan secured a $3 billion stand-by arrangement (SBA) from the IMF. The staff-level agreement on the SBA is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board which is scheduled to meet on July 12.
The previous Extended Fund Facility (EFF) expired on June 30, with the 9th, 10th, and 11th reviews pending.
