IMF delegation starts final review of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program

Special IMF delegation starts final review of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program
IMF mission in Pakistan (right) calls on Pakistani finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb (fourth in the left row) to conduct the final review of the $3 billion short-term financing program in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 14, 2024. (Pakistan's finance ministry)
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Updated 14 March 2024
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IMF delegation starts final review of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program

IMF delegation starts final review of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program
  • Successful conclusion of the review will clear the way for the disbursement of $1.1 billion from the IMF
  • Economic experts say final review to be smooth sailing for Pakistan as it has met most IMF targets

KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) visiting mission on Thursday started holding meetings with Pakistani officials as it kicked off its final review of the $3 billion short-term financing program, with economic experts saying Islamabad would easily clear the review as it had met almost all performance targets set by the lender.

Headed by Nathan Porter, the IMF’s assistant director of Central Asia and Middle East department, the mission arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday and held talks with Pakistan’s finance, energy, and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials on Thursday.

Pakistani officials, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Energy Minister Musadik Malik. informed the IMF team about the measures taken to implement the lender’s reforms, which included hiking energy tariffs.

“The IMF mission has appreciated measures taken by the Pakistani authorities in order to achieve quarterly program targets under the Stand-by Agreement (SBA),” an official of the Finance Division told Arab News, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said the Pakistani side was also simultaneously working on a plan to discuss the contours of next program, which he said would be longer. The size of the next program under consideration will most likely be about $8 billion, he added.

Malik shared the government’s energy reform agenda with the Fund’s team, the official said, adding that they were informed that the government had hiked electricity and gas prices according to the prescribed schedule.

Pakistan had raised the levy on petrol and diesel to Rs60 per liter ahead of the IMF delegation’s visit, while last month, it increased the gas tariff for domestic consumers by up to 67 percent to fulfill key conditions of the fund’s final review.

Economic experts believe the final review would be a smooth sailing for Pakistan as it had met almost all performance targets set by the IMF.

“The completion of the second and final review of the ongoing SBA will not be difficult as almost all the conditions stand fulfilled,” Dr. Ikram ul Haq, a Lahore-based economist, told Arab News.

“The real issue will be negotiating the 24th Extended Fund Facility (EFF).”

During the ongoing talks between the IMF and Pakistani authorities, which are scheduled to last five days, Pakistan is widely expected to ask for a new longer-term bailout program for about $8 billion.

“IMF will certainly question our debt sustainability that has eroded substantially over the period of time,” Haq said. “Fiscal consolidation will be another major issue.”

He said the federal government, after it has transferred funds to Pakistan’s provinces under the 7th National Finance Comission (NFC) Award, would not even be meeting its debt servicing targets. He said the country’s expenses are being met through borrowing at exorbitant costs due to high inflation.

“In this scenario and coupled with over Rs5 trillion circular debt in electricity and gas, the new IMF program will be very difficult,” he said.

Ali Nawaz, chief executive officer of securities brokerage company Chase Securities, said the current review of discussions between Pakistan and the IMF seem to be on a positive track.

“There are indications that Pakistan has met the established benchmarks, potentially avoiding major hiccups in this round,” he noted.

However, he said, securing a new long-term IMF program might involve fresh negotiations for which discussions could focus on broadening Pakistan’s tax base and implementing additional reforms.

Nawaz said Pakistan has a capable finance minister who is determined to navigate these discussions and secure a long-term program with the international lender.

“This program would be instrumental in putting the economy on a stable path,” he said.


Sixteen soldiers, eight militants killed in northwest Pakistan gunfight — military

Sixteen soldiers, eight militants killed in northwest Pakistan gunfight — military
Updated 21 December 2024
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Sixteen soldiers, eight militants killed in northwest Pakistan gunfight — military

Sixteen soldiers, eight militants killed in northwest Pakistan gunfight — military
  • The killings occurred in the South Waziristan district after a group of militants ambushed a security outpost
  • Pakistan blames the surge in militancy on militants operating out of Afghanistan, Kabul denies the allegation

ISLAMABAD: Sixteen Pakistani soldiers and eight militants were killed in a gunfight in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Saturday, amid a surge in militant attacks in the region.
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed a number of attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups that targeted security forces convoys and check posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.
The latest killings occurred in the South Waziristan district during an exchange of fire after a group of militants ambushed a check post of Pakistani security forces in the Makeen area, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“Sanitization operation is being conducted in the area and the perpetrators of the heinous act will be brought to justice,” the ISPR said in a statement. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve.”
The Pakistani Taliban claimed the brazen raid on the outpost near the border with Afghanistan, saying it was staged “in retaliation for the martyrdom of our senior commanders.”
The development came days after the Pakistani military said it had killed 11 militants in separate operations in KP’s Tank, North Waziristan and Mohmand districts.
Pakistan has struggled to contain surging militancy in KP since November 2022, when a fragile truce between the TTP, or the Pakistani Taliban, and the state broke down.
Islamabad has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
On Saturday, the Pakistani military urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to ensure robust border management after a group of militants tried to infiltrate from Afghanistan, leading to a skirmish that left four militants and a soldier dead a day earlier.


Authorities evacuate over 50 people from remote Pakistan district hit by sectarian clashes

Authorities evacuate over 50 people from remote Pakistan district hit by sectarian clashes
Updated 21 December 2024
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Authorities evacuate over 50 people from remote Pakistan district hit by sectarian clashes

Authorities evacuate over 50 people from remote Pakistan district hit by sectarian clashes
  • Clashes between Sunni, Shia tribes have killed over 100 people in Kurram since last month
  • On Friday, authorities set a deadline of Feb. 1 for the warring tribes to surrender weapons

PESHAWAR: More than 50 injured and ailing persons were evacuated on Saturday from the northwestern Pakistani district of Kurram, which has been hit by sectarian clashes in recent weeks, to Peshawar, provincial capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, disaster management authorities said.
Kurram, a tribal district of around 600,000 near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan where federal and provincial authorities have traditionally exerted limited control, has been a flashpoint for sectarian tensions between Shia and Sunni tribes for decades.
Fresh clashes last month killed more than a hundred people, triggering a humanitarian crisis with reports of starvation, lack of medicine and oxygen shortages following the blocking of the main highway connecting Kurram’s main city of Parachinar to the provincial capital of Peshawar.
The injured and ailing persons were airlifted through helicopters from Kurram and safely transported to Peshawar on the instructions of KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
“Fifty-three affected people, including 14 patients, were brought to Peshawar by helicopter from Kurram district,” the PDMA said in a statement.
“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement Department has declared an emergency for relief activities in Kurram district in view of the prevailing situation. An emergency cell has been set up to safely transfer the affected people to hospitals in Peshawar.”
The PDMA said it was in touch with the Kurram district administration and utilizing all resources in this regard, adding that people could contact its emergency operations center at helpline 1700 for any information or guidance.
The development came a day after KP authorities set a deadline of Feb. 1 for warring Sunni and Shia tribes in the district to surrender all weapons and dismantle their bunkers to stem sectarian clashes in the region.
The decision was made at a meeting of the KP apex committee, which comprises civilian and military officials, to discuss a sustainable solution to the issue. It allowed the launch of a special air service for temporary evacuation from some parts of Kurram to protect people’s lives, according to the apex committee declaration.
“The agreement outlines that both sides will submit a detailed action plan within 15 days for voluntary submission of weapons,” read a declaration issued after the apex committee meeting.
“All weapons are to be deposited with the local administration by February 1. Additionally, it was decided that all bunkers in the area will be dismantled by the same deadline.”
In the meantime, land routes to the area would be opened intermittently on humanitarian grounds and a mechanism was put in place for secure transportation, according to the statement.
“Personnel of police and Frontier Corps will jointly provide security to the convoys,” it read.
Last month’s clashes erupted after rival tribes attacked convoys of passengers on the Parachinar-Peshawar road, which were followed by attacks on each other’s villages.
The apex committee asked both sides to avoid any violent action in the future to keep the land route safe and open at all times, hoping that the parties would fully cooperate with the government for a lasting solution to the issue.


Pakistan PM directs measures to increase sugar industry revenues, end hoarding

Pakistan PM directs measures to increase sugar industry revenues, end hoarding
Updated 21 December 2024
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Pakistan PM directs measures to increase sugar industry revenues, end hoarding

Pakistan PM directs measures to increase sugar industry revenues, end hoarding
  • Sugar remains one of the largest consumed food commodities in the South Asian country
  • PM Sharif says government making efforts to ensure supply of sugar at affordable prices

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked officials to take steps to increase revenue collection from the sugar industry and to end hoarding of the commodity, Sharif’s office said on Saturday.
The prime minister issued the directives at a meeting he presided over in Lahore to review the implementation of a strategy to improve revenue collection.
Sugar remains one of the largest consumed food commodities in the South Asian country and is used in large amounts in food processing, beverages, and bakery items.
Owing to its huge demand, the government sets its procurement prices while the sugar industry is protected by a 40 percent import tariff to ensure prices remain stable. 
“Revenue collection will improve after the installation of video analytics in the sugar industry,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. “These reforms will end sugar hoarding and help balance prices.”
The prime minister said the government was making all efforts to ensure the supply of sugar at affordable prices.
“Regular monitoring of sugar stocks should be carried out so that the sugar supply chain is not affected,” he instructed officials, calling for strict and indiscriminate action against sugar mills that were evading taxes.
Over the decades, Pakistan has failed to generate tax revenues in higher amounts due to a narrow tax base, low compliance rate, an inefficient tax administration and massive tax evasion.
The South Asian country has set an ambitious target of collecting $46 billion through taxes this financial year (July 2024 till June 2025), amid efforts to revive its fragile $350 billion economy.


Pakistan slams US claims on missile program as ‘unfounded’ and ‘irrational’

Pakistan slams US claims on missile program as ‘unfounded’ and ‘irrational’
Updated 21 December 2024
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Pakistan slams US claims on missile program as ‘unfounded’ and ‘irrational’

Pakistan slams US claims on missile program as ‘unfounded’ and ‘irrational’
  • A senior US official this week said Pakistan was developing long-range missiles that could threaten the US
  • The statement came after Washington said it was imposing new sanctions related to Pakistan’s missile program

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Saturday dismissed as “unfounded” and “devoid of rationality” the allegations by a senior United States (US) official that its missile program posed a threat to the United States.
The Foreign Office statement came in response to comments made by US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, who said nuclear-armed Pakistan’s development of long-range ballistic missiles could potentially target the US.
The statement came after the US said it was imposing new sanctions related to Pakistan’s missile program, including on the state-owned defense agency that oversees the program. The sanctions freeze any US property belonging to the targeted entities and bars Americans from doing business with them.
The Foreign Office said that Pakistan had made it abundantly clear that its strategic program and allied capabilities were meant to thwart a “clear and visible existential threat from our neighborhood” — a reference to arch-foe India — and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.
“The alleged threat perception from Pakistan’s missile capabilities and delivery means, raised by the US official are unfortunate. These allegations are unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Since 1954, Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a positive and broad-ranging relationship. The recent spate of US allegations toward a major non-NATO ally would be unhelpful for the overall relationship, especially in the absence of any evidence in this regard. Pakistan has never had any ill-intention toward the US in any form or manner, and this fundamental reality has not changed.”
Finer’s statement underscored how far the once-close ties between Washington and Islamabad had deteriorated since the 2021 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. It also raised questions about whether Pakistan has shifted the objectives of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs long intended to counter those of India, with which it has fought three major wars since 1947.
But the Foreign Office said Pakistan’s strategic capabilities were solely meant to defend its sovereignty, highlighting Pakistan’s long history of cooperation with the US, particularly in the counter-terrorism domain.
“We wish to reiterate that Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia,” it said.
“Pakistan cannot abdicate its right to develop capabilities that commensurate with the need to maintain credible minimum deterrence as well as evolving and dynamic threats.”
Relations between the US and Pakistan have seen significant ups and downs. The countries collaborated during the Cold War and in the fight against Al-Qaeda after 9/11.
However, ties have been strained due to coups in the South Asian country by Pakistan’s military, support for the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule in Afghanistan, and over the nuclear weapons program.


Islamabad urges Afghanistan to boost border security as infiltration attempt kills five

Islamabad urges Afghanistan to boost border security as infiltration attempt kills five
Updated 21 December 2024
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Islamabad urges Afghanistan to boost border security as infiltration attempt kills five

Islamabad urges Afghanistan to boost border security as infiltration attempt kills five
  • Military says four TTP fighters and a soldier were killed as militants tried to enter Pakistani territory
  • Statement comes after media reported a deadly attack on a military outpost that killed 16 soldiers

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan military on Saturday urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to ensure robust border management after a group of militants tried to infiltrate from Afghanistan, leading to a skirmish that left four infiltrators and a soldier dead.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated in recent years as militant violence surged in Pakistan, fueled by attacks from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistani officials blame the TTP for the escalating violence, accusing the Afghan authorities of turning a blind eye to militants using their territory to launch cross-border attacks.
However, Kabul denies these allegations, insisting that Pakistan’s internal security is its own responsibility.
“On night 19/20 December, movement of a group of khwarij [TTP militants], trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in general area Rajgal, Khyber District,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement. “Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. Resultantly, four Khwarij were sent to hell.”
The statement noted that one of the soldiers, Sepoy Amir Sohail Afridi, also lost his life amid intense exchange of fire.
“Pakistan has consistently been asking Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border,” it continued. “Interim Afghan Government is expected to fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by Khwarij for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan.”
The ISPR statement comes after media reported a deadly attack on a military outpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which was targeted by 30 militants from three sides. According to anonymous intelligence sources, the attack left 16 soldiers dead. The TTP claimed responsibility for targeting the outpost in a statement that described the attack as a retaliation to the recent killings of its top commanders.
The Pakistan military reiterated in its statement it remained committed to securing the borders. It added that its soldiers would also fight to eliminate the menace of militant violence.