Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif seeks ‘immediate’ talks with IMF amid economic crisis

Shehbaz vowed to revive Pak’s ailing economy after being elected for another term

CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered "immediate" talks with the IMF for an extended fund facility for his cash-strapped country, saying that improving the state of the economy would be the top priority of his government which has received the "mandate".

In January, Pakistan received over USD 700 million second tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the existing USD 3 billion Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) agreed towards June last year when Pakistan was slowly drifting towards default.

Pakistan has not completed the last USD 6.5 billion IMF bailout package, and therefore, the first task of the new government will be to sit with the Washington-based global lender to get the last loan tranche of USD 1.2 billion.

The official handle of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) president on Monday posted in Urdu on X that a few hours after the swearing-in of Prime Minister Sharif, a meeting was held regarding "the restoration of the country's economy". He was briefed by the finance secretary on the occasion.

The prime minister directed to "immediately proceed" with the talks with the IMF regarding the Extended Fund Facility, it said.

Sharif directed to prepare an action plan on an emergency basis to restore the economic situation.

"We have got the mandate to improve the economy of the country and that is the top priority of our government. Our government will work hard to promote investment in the country and provide facilities to the business community," he said.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) came second in the February 8 elections. However, his party, along with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) formed a coalition government with the help of several other parties to deny jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to return to power even though independents backed by him won the maximum number of seats in Parliament.

As part of his administration's efforts to bring back the country's economy on track, Sharif said loss-making government-owned enterprises will be privatised so that these organisations do not become a burden on the country's economy.

"Government size will be reduced and institutions that are no longer needed should either be merged or closed down," he said.