IMF Mission Commences Twin Reviews of $8.1 Billion Financing Packages in Karachi

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Iva Petrova, officially commenced technical-level discussions with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday. The two-week, high-stakes mission will conduct the third review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review of the $1.1 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Successful completion of these reviews will determine Pakistan’s eligibility for a combined disbursement of approximately $1.2 billion by late April.

The current engagement is particularly significant as it evaluates the program’s performance for the half-year ending December 31, 2025, while simultaneously setting the broad contours for the upcoming national budget. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed confidence in the proceedings, noting that the government is well-positioned for a successful review. He specifically highlighted steady revenue collections by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and addressed the status of the $2 billion UAE safe deposit, asserting that talks for an “automatic” rollover are in an advanced stage to ensure external financing requirements are met.

However, the mission is expected to maintain rigorous scrutiny over several “pressure points” within the economy. While Pakistan has met most quantitative performance criteria, auditors are closely examining the power sector’s volatile policymaking and the provincial implementation of the Agriculture Income Tax. Additionally, the mission is reviewing an action plan to address governance-related weaknesses that have historically caused trillions of rupees in economic losses, placing renewed focus on the independence and institutional capacity of procurement and accountability agencies.

You May Like To Read: Grim Milestone: 2025 Recorded as Deadliest Year for Journalists