IMF director says Pakistan’s 24th loan programme could be last if conditions met

Director of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) mission for Pakistan, Nathan Porter, has claimed that if the country faithfully follows the IMF’s economic advice, the current programme would be the last for Pakistan.

Appearing in an interview with Voice of America, the IMF director said that after the economic crisis of 2023, Pakistan’s economy has been improving, which he deemed crucial for the foundation of economic progress.

Responding to Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s recent statement declaring that the 24th IMF loan programme would be the last for the country, Nathan Porter said that this could be possible if Pakistan sincerely acted on economic reforms.

Commenting on Finance Minister Aurangzeb’s statement regarding the tough conditions imposed on Pakistan, the IMF director rejected the claim, adding, “IMF recommended solutions which the concerned country needed to get out of the economic uncertainty.”

Porter further said the IMF’s stance on Chinese loans to Pakistan was the same as its perspective on the loans of other countries.