IMF Mission lands in Capital

An IMF mission has arrived in Islamabad to discuss the stalled ninth review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility. Pakistan secured a $6 billion IMF bailout in 2019, which was increased to $7 billion last year. However, disbursements were stalled in November due to Pakistan's lack of progress in fiscal consolidation and economic reforms. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the coalition government is willing to complete the ninth review without further delay and has expressed this to the IMF Chief Executive. The IMF's resident representative for Pakistan, Esther Perez Ruiz, stated that an in-person mission was scheduled to visit Islamabad by the end of the month at the request of the authorities.