DOHA: On the first day of the Doha talks, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that reforms and targets would be met.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail attended the talks with IMF online.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Minister of State for Finance Ayesha Ghous Pasha and Secretary Finance were also present.
The finance minister assured the IMF of reforms and meeting the targets, while the IMF’s Mission Chief Nitin Porter pointed out the challenges facing the Pakistani economy.
The IMF Mission Chief exchanged views on the challenges facing the economy and said that the Pakistani economy needed immediate and long term action.
Pakistan is hopeful of signing an agreement with the IMF till the successful completion of the program and the finance minister reiterated his commitment to complete the reforms and other measures proposed under the program.
The finance minister said that the government understands the current economic crisis and will have to take tough decisions while reducing the impact of inflation on the middle and low income groups.
He said that some of the factors affecting the economic situation were beyond the control of the government.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the two sides wished for the successful completion of the Seventh Economic Review and an agreement with the IMF is likely to be reached next week.
The finance ministry says Miftah Ismail will travel to Doha next week to attend the talks, and the government wants to continue cooperating with the IMF until the loan program is completed.
