'Pakistan wants to seal longest deal with IMF in country’s history'

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that Pakistan wants to seal the biggest and longest-running programme from the International Monitory Fund (IMF), in the country’s history.

“Pakitan will try to seal a bigger IMF loan programme as per its quota,” Muhammad Aurangzeb said while talking to newsmen in Islamabad.

Aurangzeb said that the improvement of Pakistan’s economy is the goal of our government more than the IMF. PM Shehbaz Sharif has a clear vision for the upliftment of the ill economy, the minister said and added the premier has given strict instructions in this regard.

He also lauded the efforts of the caretaker government in achieving IMF-set goals.

In reply to a question, Pakistan’s finance minister ruled out any hurdle in the disbursement of the last tranche of $1.1 billion under Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) porgramme.

Read more: IMF mission to arrive in Pakistan today for review talks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will arrive in Islamabad today for the economic review of Pakistan’s $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA).

Sources said that the talks would be held from March 14 to March 18.

The country’s newly sworn-in Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb has given the green signal for talks with the IMF for the SBA and a new loan programme.