IMF mission set to arrive on March 3 for $7 billion EFF programme review

ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission is anticipated to arrive in Pakistan on March 3 for the inaugural review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, according to sources within the Finance Ministry.

The nine-member team, led by Nathan Porter, is expected to remain in the country for approximately two weeks. The initial phase of their visit will focus on technical discussions, which will subsequently be followed by policy-level negotiations in the second phase. It is likely that the budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, currently under formulation, will be subject to review.

During their tenure in Pakistan, the IMF team is scheduled to conduct meetings with various government bodies, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, Planning Commission, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). Furthermore, separate discussions will also take place with representatives from the provincial governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

IMF to give Pakistan $1b in climate finance: finance minister tells senate committee

In addition, a technical mission from the IMF has been in talks regarding Pakistan’s request for approximately $1.5 billion in extra financing aimed at addressing climate change challenges. This four-member technical delegation, which arrived on Monday, has engaged with officials from the provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan.

These discussions are part of the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) framework, which offers long-term financial support for climate resilience initiatives. According to officials, negotiations have centred on topics such as green budgeting, climate-related spending tagging, and mechanisms for tracking and reporting.