KARACHI, FEB 25: A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has arrived in Karachi to begin discussions on the third review of Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday, adding that formal talks are scheduled to start on Monday.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said that talks with the IMF delegation would begin in the federal capital, adding the third economic review would include a performance review.
The finance czar was of the view that Pakistan was in a good position regarding tax collection by the Federal Board of Revenue, saying tax revenue would also come under discussion during the talks with the IMF delegation.
Aurangzeb said that there were no issues regarding the rollover of deposits from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), adding that Islamabad remained in regular contact with the Gulf state in this regard.
Prior to the finance minister’s confirmation, sources had said that the IMF delegation held a meeting with officials from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in Karachi soon after their arrival in the provincial capital.
The SBP officials will also brief the IMF team on anti-money laundering measures and anti-terror financing efforts, they added.
Sources said that Pakistan was expected to receive $200 million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) programme if the talks on the third review under the EFF concluded successfully.
The IMF delegation’s visit comes more than two months after the global lender released $1.2 billion to Pakistan under the EFF programme and the climate-focused RSF.
In a statement on December 11, 2025, the State Bank of Pakistan said that it received the funds following the IMF Executive Board approval.
The funds were reflected in the central bank’s foreign exchange reserves for the week ending December 12, 2025.
The disbursement followed a series of review meetings in Islamabad, held between September 24 and October 8, 2025, led by Iva Petrova, assessing Pakistan’s progress under its ongoing economic programmes.
