IMF chief Christine Lagarde

IMF chief Christine Lagarde said she would meet with Pakistani officials on Thursday, with expectations that Islamabad will request a bailout of its shaky economy. Finance minister Asad Umar, who is attending the fund´s annual meeting in Bali, announced earlier this week that the government would seek talks with the IMF on a "stabilisation recovery programme". Lagarde said the IMF was yet to receive anything formal from Islamabad but that she and other IMF officials would meet with the Pakistani delegation in Bali on…

DUBAI: IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Saturday urged Arab countries to slash public wages and subsidies in order to rein in spending, achieve sustainable growth and create jobs. Speaking at the one-day Arab Fiscal Forum in Dubai, Lagarde welcomed "promising" reforms adopted by some Arab countries, but insisted much more was needed to overcome daunting economic and social problems. Low oil prices are weighing on the finances of Arab oil exporters, while importers are battling with rising debt, unemployment, conflicts,…