A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected in Pakistan on Monday. According to Finance Division Spokesperson, Dr Khaqan Najeeb, the purpose of visit remained to hold technical negotiations for progress on the IMF programme.
The preparations for the economic framework were in the final phase for dialogues with the IMF team, he added while noting that the concerned departments and organisations would participate in the talks.
Dr Najeeb added that the delegation would meet with the State Bank and Privatisation officials.
The tax officials would also hold talks with the IMF team, he maintained.
Earlier, while talking to media in Washington, former finance minister Asad Umar had said that the government was working on structural changes in the economy.
The authorities were said to have decided to start the IMF mission. He called the decision to be taken in the best interests of the national economy.
The IMF program would bring improvement in the economy, Minister Umar had noted while claiming that the delegation would visit Pakistan in coming weeks to finalise technical details.
Trade activities in the region would improve the living standards, he had remarked while talking at length about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s desire to improve trade relations with India in his first speech.
A gas agreement was said to have been signed with Turkmenistan while Free Trade Agreement with Turkey would be concluded soon.
The minister had regretted that Pakistan had been facing a crisis of balance of payments for a long time.
“We went to the IMF due to some previous wrong decisions,” he maintained.
The minister had also claimed that governments led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had also sought IMF programs.