Govt committed to completing IMF programme: Ishaq Dar

• Ishaq Dar says the government will complete the IMF programme.
• Says the government will repay international bonds on time.
• Says the government fosters a conducive business environment in the country.

The Minister of Finance and Revenue, Senator Ishaq Dar, said that the current government is committed to completing the IMF program and sharing that the government will pay back the international bonds on time.

The minister said this in a meeting with a delegation of institutional investors at the Finance Division. The delegation comprised of Managing Director Khurram Sheikh and Alia Moubayed from Jefferies, Mahmood Ali Shah Bukhari – CEO K-trade, Vice President Luis Assad Simon Tamborrel from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Co-Chief Investment Officer James Edmon Craige from Stone Harbor Investment Partners, and Portfolio Manager Carl Vermassen from Vontobel Asset Management.

While SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Tariq Pasha, Special Secretary Finance and other senior officers from Finance Division also attended the meeting.

The delegation discussed the economic situation and outlook of the country. The delegation held a comprehensive discussion with the Finance Minister regarding the IMF program, flood-related expenditure and losses, market perception and outlook, as well as the external account situation.

The finance minister welcomed the delegation and assured it that the present government has taken all pragmatic measures to facilitate the business environment in Pakistan. He shared that Pakistan is slowly but gradually moving toward economic stability and it is a good time to invest in Pakistan. 

Reconstruction and rehabilitation will begin in the coming months, it was revealed. The finance minister appreciated the friendly countries for their flood relief support. 

He further asserted that the present government aims to successfully complete the IMF program and shared that the government will repay the international bonds on time.

Further, there was no plan to approach the Paris Club, he said.

He further asserted that the present government is committed to honouring all of the financial commitments made by the present as well as previous governments with national and international financial institutions.