The South Asian state is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund again - something it's done more than 20 times
Georgieva said while 2023 will be another challenging year, it could represent a turning point - with inflation declining and growth bottoming out
As the government seeks to revive the IMF programme, Pakistan has also sought to secure assurances from Saudi Arabia and China for more loans
The 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' motto of G-20 announced by India is very uplifting and mobilizing, IMF Managing Director Kristina Georgieva has said adding that it resonates on a human level with all. "It has chosen a great motto for the presidency that I think resonates on a human level with all of us: One Earth, One Family, One Future. It is the most uplifting, motto of G-20, that I can think of. Very mobilizing for all of us," Georgieva told PTI ahead of her India travel to attend the G-20's financial track meeting in Bengaluru. Unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, the theme of India's G20 Presidency - 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth One Family One Future' - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life human, animal, plant, and microorganisms and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe. It also spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), with its .
India, which has taken it upon itself to be carbon neutral by 2070, could achieve this ambitious goal even earlier, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said. Georgieva added that it is so very important that a large country like India plays a leading role in the fight against climate change. She noted that what India has done is "quite admirable" because it is a country that has nearly 1.4 billion people that need access to development opportunities. And therefore, the pressure to expand the use of resources is exceptionally high. Yet India is managing to put in place very ambitious objectives: reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by the year 2030, from 2005 level, Georgieva told PTI in an interview as she applauded New Delhi for its programme of using solar as a main source of energy and taking it to the global level through the International Solar Alliance. "And more recently thinking more seriously about innovation, for ...
Pakistan has to do more to ensure that the foundation for strong growth is in place, taxes are collected and are fairly distributed, and those who have more, pay more, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said, as the cash-starved country is engaged in "tough" talks for a bailout with the global lender to tide over the worsening economic crisis. Pakistan, which is in dire need of funds as it battles a wrenching economic crisis, has received financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the past and is presently in discussions with the organisation to resume its loan programme. An agreement on the ninth review of the programme would release over USD 1.1 billion. A resumption of the IMF programme would also unlock other avenues of funding for Pakistan. Georgieva emphasised that the IMF has made "good progress" in its talks with Pakistan. "Pakistan has gone through a number of years striving to stabilise the economy and put in place a sound framework for
Pakistan has taken all the measures needed to unfreeze a $6.5 billion credit line and expects to clinch the deal "any day now," Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar said in an interview
Despite doing better than rest of the world, inflation remains a key challenge to country's growth prospects, says
Hikes general levy to 18% from 17%, raises tax on imports of luxury items such as mobile phones to 25% from 17%
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday emphasised that seeking the IMF bailout package was the only option available to the debt-ridden country to overcome the ongoing economic crisis. "When a country goes bankrupt, it has to go to the International Monetary Fund. Apart from that, there is no other organisation in the world that provides aid when a country goes bankrupt," Wickremesinghe said. Addressing a gathering in the central town of Kandy, he said that each nation that experienced an economic catastrophe recovered after engaging in talks with the IMF and cited the example of Greece which took 13 years to recover from the collapsed economy. "I have no hope of being President for 13 years," Wickremesinghe said, amidst opposition to his hard economic reforms which had triggered utility rate hikes and increased personal taxes. "There is only one way to rebuild this collapsed economy. That is the International Monetary Fund. Different political parties are presenting
Eleven nations have signed a note where they have argued against the Bank taking on the responsibility to lend more, thereby raising interest costs for the borrowers
IMF added that the central banks across Asia need to stay 'alert' as the core inflation is still high, and the re-opening of China's economy may push inflation up due to higher demand
'My heart goes out to the people of Pakistan. But the Pakistan government needs to collect higher taxes by withdrawing subsidies to the rich'
People in Pakistan woke up on Thursday to the shock of a historic price hike in the prices of petrol and gas as the government tried to appease the IMF for unlocking the critical loan tranche for the cash-strapped country. The petrol bomb as the price hike is termed these days, was dropped around Wednesday midnight, hours after the government unveiled a tax-loaded 'mini-budget' in the Parliament to extract Rs 170 billion from the people through new taxes and increase in electricity and gas prices. The price of petrol was hiked to Rs 272 per litre after an increase of Rs 22.20, a press release from the Finance Division read Wednesday night, noting that the surge has taken place due to the rupee's devaluation against the dollar. The price of the high-speed diesel (HSD) hiked by Rs 17.20, kerosene by Rs 12.90 and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs 9.68. The new price of HSD will cost Rs 280 per litre. Kerosene will be available at Rs 202.73 whereas LDO will be sold at Rs 196.68 per ...
The cash-strapped Pakistan government on Wednesday introduced a money bill in parliament to raise Rs 170 billion in taxes by June this year as part of conditions by the IMF to get the next tranche of an already agreed loan. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2023, in the National Assembly -- the lower house -- empowered to legislate on money matters. Pakistan and IMF officials held 10 days of marathon talks in Islamabad, from January 31 to February 9, but could not reach a deal as the fund demanded prior actions before signing any agreement to release USD 1.1 billion out of the USD 7 billion deal agreed in 2019. Speaking in the house after introducing the bill, Dar said the government was aware of the hardships of common people and tried its best to not further burden them through new taxes.
US seeks partnership with Pakistan on counter terrorism, State Department said, underlining that it looks forward to efforts to eliminate regional and global terrorists and other security threats
The IMF chief signaled the need for resilience in our planet, in societies that must allow equal opportunities, and in people, who must benefit from education, health and good social protection
Cash-strapped and nuclear-armed Pakistan will impose new taxes of 170 billion rupees this month in a bid for a massive bailout, officials and analysts said Monday, even as they warned the new taxes could accelerate the country's spiralling inflation. The dire outlook from economists and political analysts comes after the International Monetary Fund delayed the release of a crucial USD 1.1 billion portion of a 2019 deal worth USD 6 billion, on hold since December over Pakistan's failure to meet the terms. The latest round of the talks between Pakistan and the IMF concluded Friday with the fund recommending steps including imposing new taxes. "The imposition of more taxes means tough days are ahead for the majority of the people in Pakistan who are already facing higher food and energy costs, but there is no other way out if Pakistan needs the IMF loans, and Pakistan desperately needs it," said Ehtisham-ul-Haq, a veteran economist. The stalemate in talks between IMF and Pakistan was .
Pakistan is moving swiftly to pacify the IMF with the approval of a new tax on electricity users, including farmers, to raise an additional Rs 170 billion in revenue to meet the conditions of the global lender, according to a statement. The International Monetary Fund delegation held 10-day marathon talks with Pakistan officials here to release the next tranche of USD 1.1 billion out of an already agreed loan but left on Thursday for Washington without signing a staff-level agreement. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who had led the Pakistan side in talks, told the media on Friday that prior actions were needed as the two sides would resume the talks in virtual mode from Monday. Hours later, the minister chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet which approved the imposition of a special financing surcharge of Rs 3.39 per unit in average power tariff in addition to quarterly tariff adjustments of up to Rs 3.21 per unit for one year and recovery of ..
The $6 billion bailout package has been repeatedly stalled after former Pakistan prime pinister Imran Khan-led government reneged on subsidy agreements and failed on its tax collection commitments out