ISLAMABAD: Optimistic Pakistani team led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will conduct the second quarterly review with the International Monetary Fund staff under the ongoing three-year Extended Fund Facility in Dubai on February 2, 2014. Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan is schedule to reach Dubai a day earlier (on February 1) to hold technical parlays.
Deputy Governor (Banking) Ashraf Wathra will lead the SBP team. On the other hand, IMF team leader Frank Jeffrey is also likely to come for a day to Islamabad to hold a media briefing on Pakistan’s economic performance on February 4, 2014. Pakistan has met all the performance targets fixed for December 31, 2013. According to Ministry of Finance sources, the most difficult time for the economy has passed and they expect CSF imbursement ($328m) in the first week of February and next IMF tranche ($550m) in first week of March 2014.