IMF board to review Pakistan tranche on Jan 11

The Inter­national Monetary Fund (IMF) has included Pakistan on its Executive Board agenda for January 11, as reported on its updated website. During this meeting, the board is set to deliberate and potentially grant final approval for the disbursement of the next $700 million tranche under the existing $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). According to the IMF Executive Board calendar, upcoming meetings are scheduled for Jan 8, 10 and 11, with Pakistan’s case slated for discussion on the last day. The current IMF programme, amounting to $3bn, is expected to conclude in the second week of April, with approximately $1.8bn remaining undisbursed. The initial tranche of $1.2bn was released in July. In November 2023, a Staff-Level Agreement was reached between the IMF staff and Pakistani authorities regarding the first review under Pakistan’s SBA. This agreement is contingent upon approval by the IMF’s Executive Board. Despite expectations for board approval in December, it seems the process has been scheduled for Jan 11.