IMF satisfied with govt steps for improvement of country’s economy

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reportedly satisfied with the measures the government has taken for the improvement of the country’s economy, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

Quoting its sources, 24News TV channel reported that during virtual talks between Pakistan and the IMF, the government informed the latter about difficult steps it had taken to meet its demands.

They disclosed that an important development was expected towards the end of the ongoing month as far as the new loan programme for Pakistan was concerned, and the volume of the programme, which would be for a three-year period, could be between $6 billion and $8 billion.

However, what would be the exact volume of the programme was yet to be determined, sources said.

Sources explained that the government was also taking steps to fulfill other conditions set by the Fund.

For instance, they went on to say, work was in progress on increasing the basic tariff of electricity in light of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (NEPRA) decision.

The new electricity prices would take effect in the current month, they disclosed.

On the other hand, the bureaucrats of Punjab have refused to disclose their assets as was asked by the IMF.

Sources told 24News that showing their concerns, the officials had conveyed to the S&GAD and Finance Department that they simply could not make the information related to their properties public.

The international money lending organization had sought details of the assets of Punjab government officers, from grade-17 to grade-22.

Sources said that the concerned departments had conveyed the officers’ concerns to the Punjab government.

 Reporters: Waqas Azeem and Ali Ramay