Finance: Complexity of economic issues

Pakistan has made appreciable gains in the external sector, particularly in goods exports and remittances during the first quarter of FY25 (July-September 2024). That has helped create a modest current account surplus and kept the rupee relatively stable. However, whether these gains can be sustained in the next three quarters of this year and in the coming years cannot be predicted. Much depends on whether and at what cost political stability is restored and on how fast and at what cost further cooperation from China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is earned. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in Washington last week that he hoped to get additional foreign exchange from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) out of its climate resiliency fund within this fiscal year.