FinMin welcomes IMF mission’s expected visit next month for budget, tax talks

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday welcomed the expected visit of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission next month for budget discussions, including key deliberations on taxation.

The finance minister held a meeting with Dan Katz, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, on the sidelines of the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings 2026, where discussions focused on programme continuity and the impact of external economic shocks.

During the meeting, Senator Aurangzeb expressed appreciation for the IMF team’s smooth handling of the third review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

He informed that a staff-level agreement had been successfully concluded and that approval by the IMF Executive Board was awaited.

Aurangzeb briefed Dan Katz on the immediate impact of the ongoing conflict on Pakistan’s economy, particularly in relation to energy procurement and logistics.

He outlined the government’s policy response, including demand management measures and fiscally-neutral targeted subsidies designed to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population.

Senator Aurangzeb further apprised the IMF leadership of Pakistan’s ongoing assessment of the second and third-order effects of the crisis, including implications for inflation, growth, exports, and remittances.

The minister welcomed the IMF mission’s expected visit next month for budget discussions, including deliberations on taxation matters.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the programme anchor, underscoring its role as a credible source of stability and market confidence in the face of the prevailing external shock.