Money transferred: Second tranche of IMF loan received, confirms SBP official
IMF warns that Pakistan must continue its reforms for economy to recover, in particular to improve tax collection.
Pakistan received $554 million in the second tranche. CREATIVE COMMONS
KARACHI:
Pakistan on Tuesday received $554 million dollars as a second tranche of its $6.7 billion bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an official confirmed on Tuesday.
The Washington-based lender had approved the extended fund facility (EFF) in September to help the country achieve economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector.
The IMF made an initial payment of $540 million, and in November fund officials said during a monitoring visit that Pakistan was "broadly on track" with reforms.
"Pakistan received the second tranche from IMF under the ongoing EFF on December 23," a spokesperson for the State Bank of Pakistan (central bank) said in a statement.
The release of the instalment will also bolster the bank's declining foreign exchange reserves.
Cash-strapped Pakistan, plagued by a bloody homegrown Taliban insurgency, is battling to get its shaky economy back on track and solve a chronic energy crisis that cripples industry.
Announcing the approval of the funds last Thursday, the IMF's deputy managing director and acting chair Nemat Shafik had warned that Pakistan must continue its reforms for the economy to recover, in particular to improve tax collection.
Pakistan on Tuesday received $554 million dollars as a second tranche of its $6.7 billion bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an official confirmed on Tuesday.
The Washington-based lender had approved the extended fund facility (EFF) in September to help the country achieve economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector.
The IMF made an initial payment of $540 million, and in November fund officials said during a monitoring visit that Pakistan was "broadly on track" with reforms.
"Pakistan received the second tranche from IMF under the ongoing EFF on December 23," a spokesperson for the State Bank of Pakistan (central bank) said in a statement.
The release of the instalment will also bolster the bank's declining foreign exchange reserves.
Cash-strapped Pakistan, plagued by a bloody homegrown Taliban insurgency, is battling to get its shaky economy back on track and solve a chronic energy crisis that cripples industry.
Announcing the approval of the funds last Thursday, the IMF's deputy managing director and acting chair Nemat Shafik had warned that Pakistan must continue its reforms for the economy to recover, in particular to improve tax collection.