IMF reaches staff level deal with Pak to disburse $1.1b

ISLAMABAD, March 21: Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday reached a staff level agreement which, if approved by its board, will disburse $1.1 billion for the debt-ridden South Asian economy, the global lender said.

The funds are the final tranche of a last-gasp rescue package Pakistan had secured last summer, which averted a sovereign debt default.

The IMF mission held meetings with Pakistani officials in Islamabad during a five-day visit to review the fiscal consolidation benchmarks set for the loan. The review talks were concluded late on Tuesday.
"The IMF team has reached a staff-level agreement with the Pakistani authorities on the second and final review of Pakistans stabilisation programme supported by the IMFs US$3 billion (SDR2,250 million) SBA approved in January 2024," the IMF said in a statement.

"This agreement is subject to approval by the IMFs Executive Board, upon which the remaining access under the SBA, US$1.1 billion (SDR 828 million), will become available," it said.     —Reuters