G-20 debt relief timely initiative taken amid Covid-19 challenge: PM Imran

Premier chairs meeting to review support received from development partners to cope with the outbreak of coronavirus

Appreciating the G-20 debt relief initiative, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday observed that the G-20 relief was a timely initiative that complemented the efforts to cope with the Covid-19 challenge.

However, he urged that that the facility may be further extended to provide greater space to the developing countries fighting the pandemic in order for them to concentrate their resources on providing relief to their people.

The prime minister was chairing a meeting held to review the country's external inflows and outflows with special reference to the support received by the country from various development partners to cope with the outbreak of Covid-19.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Division Makhdoom Khusru Bakhtiar, Secretary EAD Noor Ahmed and senior officials.

Matters of external inflows and outflow situation of the country, Covid-19 financing from development partners, G-20 debt relief and possible scenarios for engaging friendly countries for debt-for-development swaps were discussed in the meeting.

PM Imran said effective domestic revenue mobilisation, better fiscal and debt management, reforms in energy sector and financial sector and improving investment climate in the country were key priorities of the present government.

The PM also directed to explore opportunities for debt for development swaps so that the process of socio-economic development could be stimulated.

The prime minister appreciated the international community for their positive response in the wake of the corona pandemic.