Dar to attend IMF, WB meetings in Washington next week

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is set to visit the United States next week to attend the annual spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) that will take place in Washington from April 10 to April 16.

According to sources in the Ministry of Finance, Dar accompanied by federal secretary of finance and the State Bank governor will visit the Washington from April 10 to April 16.

They said the Pakistani delegation will discuss matters related to staff-level agreement (SLA) for the revival of $6.5 bailout package with IMF officials during the sideline meetings at the event.

Official sources said it is expected that significant progress will be made during the talks with the IMF for the revival of stalled bailout package.

Also read: Matters with IMF will be settled ‘soon’, assures Dar

Pakistani delegation will also apprise the international lending agencies of the progress on funding from friendly countries, insiders added.

On February 10, talks between Pakistan and the IMF ended without a staff-level agreement.

According to the finance ministry, the IMF mission has sought more time to finalise the SLA and the agreement will be signed following the approval of Washington.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the government has accepted all the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and negotiations on the global lender's final condition are ongoing.

According to Express News, a meeting of the parliamentary party of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Addressing the meeting, the premier reiterated that “we have always brought the country out of difficult situations”.

The premier stated that the government’s 'hands are tied' due to the IMF agreement, adding that the country is facing record inflation due to the previous government’s agreement with the global lender.