PM seeks post IMF exit strategy

The government has begun discussions to develop a credible strategy to permanently exit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the expiry of the $7 billion bailout package, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated national efforts to build buffers and avoid any future programme. Government sources told The Express Tribune that a high-level meeting has recently taken place to determine whether Pakistan can sustain its economy in the absence of the IMF umbrella after September 2027, when the bailout package would come to an end. In the absence of urgent reform measures that require building sufficient foreign exchange reserves and creatingcomplete value chains for industries to enhance exports, Pakistan risks slipping into another programme, according to an assessment by the Planning Commission.