IMF delegation calls on PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by Director Middle East and Central Asia Jihad Azour called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at the PM Office here on Tuesday.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Governor State Bank Dr Reza Baqir and Secretary Finance Naveed Kamran Baloch were present in the meeting.

In a press briefing on Sunday, Hafeez SHaikh has termed this visit as routine matter, however media reports suggested that the Fund is concerned over yawning fiscal deficit.

When asked about government’s strategy to bring down primary deficit from 3.5 percent of GDP in last fiscal to 0.6 percent of GDP in the current fiscal under the IMF conditions, he mentioned four areas of focus for achieving desired primary balance and stated that the tax revenues would be maximised, expenditures would be reduced, non-tax revenue would be increased and finally the macroeconomic stability would promote growth and enhance economic activities would yield increased tax collection.