UK envoy urges Pakistan to implement IMF-agreed reforms

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott on Monday urged Pakistan to fully implement its commitments to economic reforms under the IMF agreement, cautioning that failure to do so could jeopardise access to critical loan disbursements. Speaking at the Islamabad Policy Resea­rch Institute (IPRI), she said “full implementation of all reform commitments will be essential. Otherwise there is very significant risk that Pakistan will lose access to IMF disbursement which is essential for economy and national stability”. She feared economic achievements made over the past year-and-a-half could encourage the government to provide relief to the public, which could affect the reforms process. In September, the IMF approved a $7 billion loan programme for Pakistan. The Fund demanded tough reforms, including fiscal discipline, tax policy overhauls, and governance improvements.