Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday that the country cannot run without the completion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
Expressing his thoughts, Iqbal said: "Only the strict IMF programme can give impetus to the country's economy. There is no option but to complete the IMF programme."
"We can proudly say that today the country is not included in the list of defaulted countries," he added.
He credited the government for taking the country out of the quagmire.
Few days back, it was reported that the country was on the verge of finalising a crucial staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package exceeding $6 billion, following the fulfilment of all stipulated conditions in its latest annual budget, according to a senior finance official.
Minister of State for Finance Revenue and Power Ali Pervaiz Malik confirmed that the country was aiming to conclude the IMF negotiation process within the next three to four weeks, ideally reaching a staff-level agreement before the IMF board recess.
"The anticipated size of the package is over $6 billion," Malik stated, emphasizing that securing IMF validation remains the primary objective at this stage. The IMF has yet to respond to requests for comments.
