October 29, 2019: Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance & Revenue, has said the government is focused on implementation of the IMF programme.

“The containment of current and fiscal deficits and stabilisation of exchange rate are indicative of the success of government efforts to put the economy on the long-term growth track,” he said while talking to the IMF Mission team led by Mr. Ramirez Rigo Ernesto who called on the Adviser and his team at the Finance Division Tuesday.

Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, Mr. Reza Baqir, Secretary Finance Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch, Chairman FBR Mr. Shabbar Zaidi, Special Secretary Finance Omar Hamid Khan and other senior officials of the Finance Division and the local IMF officials were also present.

Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh told the visiting Mission delegation that Pakistan enjoyed a very cordial relationship with the IMF and it had been further strengthened during his recent visit to Washington where productive meetings culminating in fruitful discussions were held with the senior IMF management. He said Pakistan valued the IMF support and financial assistance and the Prime Minister was personally overseeing and monitoring the progress achieved in various sectors of the economy.

Mr. Ramirez Rigo Ernesto appreciated the positive results being produced by the policies and strategies put in place by the government to remove imbalances in the economy. He said the volatility in the exchange rate had been reduced while successes have also been achieved in other areas, especially on the fiscal front, which indicated the government was moving in the right direction.

He said the IMF Mission was looking forward to have a meaningful and productive review by aiming at a forward-looking approach with focus on the adjustments required till March, especially in the power sector and fundings from various bilateral and multilateral sources for boosting Pakistan foreign exchange.

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