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PAKISTAN STRIKES DEAL WITH IMF AS $7.5 BN BAILOUT PACKAGE FINALISED
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance announced on Friday that the federal government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have finalised a staff-level agreement of a $7.5 billion bailout package for a three-year duration.
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The bailout package was finalised with “tough” conditions levied by IMF, according to a ministry of finance notification issued today.
Positive developments occurred between Pakistan and IMF as the consultations between two sides will continue for two days on the manuscript of the agreement, added the notification.
Both sides were expected to hold the last round of talks today in which the proposed bailout package would be finalised. The loan amount was expected to be around $6.4 billion for a three-year duration, the ministry of finance sources further informed.
Pakistan would have no choice but to concede to the IMF’s demands to hike power tariffs and taxes and withdraw tax concessions and exemptions – which are among the conditions that the country has accepted to secure the loan, under the proposed bailed out package
According to the ministry sources, the government would increase the costs of electricity and gas for the consumers in two phases within this year. New taxes amounting to Rs700 billion would be revealed in the budget for the next fiscal year, to be announced on June 11.
The budget deficit would be restricted to 4.5 percent, whereas the revenue target for the Federal Board of Revenue would be set at around Rs5.3 trillion. The interest rate would be brought up to 12 percent.
Under the proposed agreement, the government would not control the rate of the dollar, and subsidies in the energy sector, as well as other sectors, would be withdrawn.
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- 10 May 2019
- 61 Views
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance announced on Friday that the federal government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have finalised a staff-level agreement of a $7.5 billion bailout package for a three-year duration.
ADVERTISEMENT
The bailout package was finalised with “tough” conditions levied by IMF, according to a ministry of finance notification issued today.
Positive developments occurred between Pakistan and IMF as the consultations between two sides will continue for two days on the manuscript of the agreement, added the notification.
Both sides were expected to hold the last round of talks today in which the proposed bailout package would be finalised. The loan amount was expected to be around $6.4 billion for a three-year duration, the ministry of finance sources further informed.
Pakistan would have no choice but to concede to the IMF’s demands to hike power tariffs and taxes and withdraw tax concessions and exemptions – which are among the conditions that the country has accepted to secure the loan, under the proposed bailed out package
According to the ministry sources, the government would increase the costs of electricity and gas for the consumers in two phases within this year. New taxes amounting to Rs700 billion would be revealed in the budget for the next fiscal year, to be announced on June 11.
The budget deficit would be restricted to 4.5 percent, whereas the revenue target for the Federal Board of Revenue would be set at around Rs5.3 trillion. The interest rate would be brought up to 12 percent.
Under the proposed agreement, the government would not control the rate of the dollar, and subsidies in the energy sector, as well as other sectors, would be withdrawn.
ADVERTISEMENT