https://www.dawn.com/news/1830191/foreign-minister-ishaq-dar-appointed-deputy-prime-minister
[March 11 2024 emerging as minister of foreign affairs ]
PML-N leader Ishaq Dar was given the coveted slot of the minister of foreign affairs
[February 19 2024 ]
Sources in Islamabad have revealed numerous contenders for the influential position, with former finance minister Ishaq Dar emerging as a prominent candidate.
[January 10 2024 World bank on tax real estate & agriculture – ‘counteract elite capture’ ]
The massive decline in twin deficits, trade and current account deficits, is helping economic managers keep paying for debt servicing. The financial sector believes that the current account deficit would not exceed $4bn during this fiscal year FY24.
[October 10 2023 ]
WB’s Country Director Najy Benhassine and senior economist Tobias Haque said the people in two major areas in the provincial jurisdiction — real estate and agriculture — had most of the untaxed wealth, which should be taxed by the provincial governments to be able to improve services and reduce the financial burden on the centre, which was financing these services.
[October 7 2023 ]
Mr Dar said that despite conspiracies against the PML-N government — in the name of ‘Dawn Leaks’, Panama Leaks and dharnas (sit-ins) — the country’s economy was stable. To a question, Mr Dar said his legal team would soon apply for his protective bail in a white-collar crime case.
[September 25 2023 ]
The World Bank propose fundamental policy shifts to strengthen accountability and counteract elite capture while building the administrative capacity of government to deliver critical reforms and investments.
Prof Dercon, “There should be a set of incentives for the emergence of a better elite bargain “
[September 18 2023 “There’s no quick fix but there’s a fix.” ]
“It’s critical that the people get to decide and that political parties are responsive to the people,” Elizabeth Horst, the US Deputy Secretary of State said, adding: “We will be continuing to support Pakistan’s democracy, which includes credible elections, according to the country’s laws and the Constitution.”
[September 4 2023 ]
Acknowledging that “it is a universal truth that no one likes paying more bills”, she warned: “Without energy sector reform, Pakistan’s entire economy will continue to struggle” and “we, and Pakistan’s other friends, are here to support Pakistan’s efforts in that regard.”
Such reforms, however, “will take strong leadership and patience, but without making these changes on issues like taxation and investment, for example, Pakistan will not be able to stand on its two feet,” Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Horst, who heads the Bureau of South and Central Affairs at the State Department said.
[August 1 2023 ]
The PDM coalition government is about to end its term in mid-August. But last week, it okayed Rs51bn voter-influencing schemes recommended by parliamentarians. The federal government has clearly disregarded the IMF’s concern and concerns of all regarding the timing of such spending.
[July 30 2023 ]
ISLAMABAD: The short-term inflation experienced a notable year-on-year surge of 29.21 per cent for the week ending on July 26 mainly attributed to a sharp rise in electricity and liquefied petroleum gas prices, showed the official data released on Friday.
The IMF has projected that the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be 25.9pc in FY24, a notable decrease from the previous year’s 29.6pc. However, it’s worth noting that it is expected to ease below 20pc only in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year.
The government has been taking harsh measures — hikes in fuel and power tariffs, withdrawal of subsidies, market-based exchange rate and higher taxation — under the IMF programme to generate revenue for bridging the fiscal deficit, which may result in slow economic growth and higher inflation in coming months.
[July 25 2023 ]
Dar for interim PM appeared to be a message for the establishment, which is rumoured to be backing its own horse in the race. Mohsin Baig – a well-known but controversial journalist, could be the new caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, considering his proximity with the Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir.
IMF calls out Tarin for ‘irresponsible’ budgetary expansion, Dar for ‘exchange rate interventions’
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: As PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif intends to see party stalwart and confidant Ishaq Dar as the interim prime minister, the PPP has expressed strong reservations saying a “man from the Sharif family” is not suitable to lead the ‘neutral’ setup. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the coalition will dissolve parliament next month and hand over the reins to the caretaker administration to pave the way for national elections. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has put forward Dar’s name to its coalition partners,
[July 22 2023 ]
“Pakistan should continue to work with the IMF,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Elizabeth Horst, the US official who heads the State Department’s Pakistan bureau. “There’s no quick fix but there’s a fix.” Ms Horst acknowledged that the coming days would be very tough for the people of Pakistan, but they have to go through this difficult phase to improve the economy.
[July 13 2022 IMF staff Agrees 7 Billion ]
Pakistan has reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund to resume its loan program, according to a government official familiar with the matter.
The disbursal would offer relief to the South Asian nation, whose foreign-exchange reserves can cover less than two months of imports. Inflation has accelerated to a 13-year-high. Pakistan has raised electricity tariffs and almost doubled diesel pump prices over the past two months to meet IMF conditions.
The Washington-based lender has also agreed to increase the loan program size by $1 billion — taking it to a total $7 billion — and extend it through June 2023, the person said.
[June 19 2022 still has reservations [
The authorities in the finance ministry were expecting to conclude the staff-level agreement by Sunday (June 19) on the basis of revenue and expenditure measures that could deliver next year’s primary budget (the difference between revenues and expenditures, excluding interest payment) in Rs152 billion surplus.
However, the IMF staff still has reservations
Crescent Shift 