Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have discussed the country’s forthcoming programme review, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirming the government’s commitment to maintaining the pace of economic reforms and advancing structural measures aimed at supporting sustainable and inclusive growth. The discussion took place in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. The meeting focused on Pakistan’s ongoing reform agenda, the upcoming programme review and continued cooperation between Islamabad and the Fund.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the IMF’s continued support for Pakistan’s economy and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to implementing the IMF-supported reform programme. He also acknowledged Georgieva’s role in strengthening the relationship between Pakistan and the Fund. The prime minister said the government had taken ownership of the reform agenda and remained determined to maintain its momentum while pursuing structural measures intended to strengthen the economy and establish a foundation for longer-term growth.
The prime minister said Pakistan was moving from a phase of macroeconomic stabilisation toward economic recovery despite regional conflict and external inflationary pressures. He attributed the transition to prudent fiscal and monetary policies and highlighted improvements in fiscal discipline, external buffers and investor confidence. Among the measures cited were the National Tariff Regime, increased domestic revenue mobilisation and progress on privatisation, which the government has presented as part of its broader efforts to strengthen the economic framework.
Shehbaz Sharif also stressed that economic reforms would continue alongside measures aimed at protecting vulnerable segments of society. The government’s position, as communicated during the meeting, is that reforms should strengthen the economy while maintaining attention to the impact of economic adjustment on lower-income and vulnerable groups. The two sides discussed continued cooperation to advance reforms, strengthen economic resilience and support sustainable growth as Pakistan prepares for the next stage of engagement under its IMF-supported programme.
Kristalina Georgieva also commented on Pakistan’s reform implementation following the meeting. She said strong implementation had helped preserve economic stability, restore confidence and regain market access, while adding that continued reforms could help lift economic growth and improve people’s lives. Her remarks followed discussions with the prime minister on Pakistan’s reform programme and the forthcoming IMF review.
The forthcoming review comes as Pakistan and the IMF have begun discussions under the country’s current programme. The IMF’s latest completed review, concluded in May 2026, covered the third review under the Extended Fund Facility and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, with the IMF Executive Board approving disbursements of about $1.1 billion and $220 million respectively. The current engagement includes further assessment of Pakistan’s progress against programme commitments and reforms.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Adviser on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and other senior officials. The discussions between Pakistan and the IMF come as Islamabad seeks to sustain the progress made under its reform programme while continuing efforts to strengthen economic resilience, fiscal management and external stability. Both sides agreed on the importance of continued cooperation as Pakistan moves forward with the forthcoming programme review and its wider structural reform agenda.
Follow the PakBanker Whatsapp Channel for updates across Pakistan’s banking ecosystem.