IMF Approves a US$ 1.386 Billion Disbursement to Pakistan to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic

News Image

By MG News | April 17, 2020 at 08:20 AM GMT+05:00

0:00

April 17, 2020: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a purchase of Pakistan under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) equivalent to SDR 1,015.5 million (US$ 1.386 billion, 50 percent of quota) to meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While uncertainty remains high, the near-term economic impact of COVID-19 is expected to be significant, giving rise to large fiscal and external financing needs. The IMF support will help to provide a backstop against the decline in international reserves and provide financing to the budget for targeted and temporary spending increases aimed at containing the pandemic and mitigating its economic impact.

The IMF remains closely engaged with the Pakistani authorities and as the impact of the COVID-19 shock subsides will resume discussions as part of the current EFF.

Following the Executive Board discussion, Mr. Geoffrey Okamoto, First Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, made the following statement:

“The outbreak of Covid-19 is having a significant impact on the Pakistani economy. The domestic containment measures, coupled with the global downturn, are severely affecting growth and straining external financing. This has created an urgent balance of payments need.

“In this context of heightened uncertainty, IMF emergency financing under the Rapid Financing Instrument provides strong support to the authorities’ emergency policy response, preserving fiscal space for essential health spending, shoring up confidence, and catalyzing additional donor support.

“In response to the crisis, the government of Pakistan has taken swift action to halt the community spread of the virus and introduced an economic stimulus package aimed at accommodating the spending needed to tackle the health emergency and supporting economic activity. Crucially, the authorities are increasing public health spending and strengthening social safety net programs to provide immediate relief to the most vulnerable. Similarly, the State Bank of Pakistan has adopted a timely set of measures, including a lowering of the policy rate and new refinancing facilities, to support liquidity and credit conditions and safeguard financial stability. In this context, the authorities’ policies should be targeted and temporary.

“As the crisis abates, the authorities’ renewed commitment to the reforms in the existing Extended Fund Facility—in particular those related to fiscal consolidation strategy, energy sector, governance, and remaining AML/CFT deficiencies—will be crucial to entrench resilience, boost Pakistan’s growth potential, and deliver broad based benefits for all Pakistanis.

“Expeditious donor support is needed to close the remaining balance of payments gap and ease the adjustment burden.”

 

Press Release

 

Related News

Name Price/Vol %Chg/NChg
KSE100 130,344.03
345.79M
1.67%
2144.61
ALLSHR 81,023.99
1,021.87M
1.55%
1236.37
KSE30 39,908.26
141.62M
2.05%
803.27
KMI30 189,535.00
150.29M
1.40%
2619.39
KMIALLSHR 54,783.66
508.76M
1.07%
581.78
BKTi 34,940.73
55.86M
4.37%
1464.05
OGTi 28,296.06
16.02M
1.19%
333.47
Symbol Bid/Ask High/Low
Name Last High/Low Chg/%Chg
BITCOIN FUTURES 109,245.00 110,105.00
109,205.00
-1040.00
-0.94%
BRENT CRUDE 68.45 69.00
68.41
-0.66
-0.96%
RICHARDS BAY COAL MONTHLY 97.50 0.00
0.00
0.75
0.78%
ROTTERDAM COAL MONTHLY 109.20 110.00
108.25
1.70
1.58%
USD RBD PALM OLEIN 998.50 998.50
998.50
0.00
0.00%
CRUDE OIL - WTI 66.80 67.50
66.78
-0.65
-0.96%
SUGAR #11 WORLD 15.56 15.97
15.44
-0.14
-0.89%

Chart of the Day


Latest News
July 03, 2025 at 06:01 AM GMT+05:00

MG Morning Breeze: Updates to Skim before Market


July 02, 2025 at 11:05 PM GMT+05:00

Cement sales flat in FY25


July 02, 2025 at 10:50 PM GMT+05:00

SBP reserves cross $14bn mark in FY25


July 02, 2025 at 05:29 PM GMT+05:00

CDNS revises profit rates on savings schemes



Top 5 things to watch in this week

Pakistan Stock Movers
Name Last Chg/%Chg
Name Last Chg/%Chg