The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has formally asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to include it in Pakistan’s core team for upcoming negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, alongside the Ministry of Finance. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the request was made because the IMF discussions cover broader economic issues including growth, inflation and poverty, which also fall within the Planning Ministry’s responsibilities.
Speaking during the launch of the September 2026 Monthly Development Outlook, Iqbal said the ministry had communicated its request to the prime minister in writing. The request comes as an IMF review mission is scheduled to hold discussions with Pakistani authorities in Islamabad this week. Pakistan’s delegation for the talks is expected to be led by the finance minister, while Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal is set to lead discussions at the technical level.
Iqbal said the Planning Ministry’s request was linked to its role in wider economic policymaking. According to the minister, the Planning Commission had played a significant role in economic policy during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, while the Finance Division became increasingly prominent from the 1990s. The latest request seeks greater participation by the Planning Ministry in discussions that involve development priorities alongside fiscal and financial matters.
The September Monthly Development Update also outlined the ministry’s priorities for development policy. It said future efforts would focus on improving the efficiency and impact of public investment, accelerating priority development projects and strengthening implementation capacity. The ministry also highlighted private investment, exports, productivity, technology, human capital and climate resilience as areas that could support broader economic growth. Stronger institutional coordination, monitoring and evidence-based policymaking were identified as important elements of the development approach.
On inflation, Iqbal expressed the expectation that price pressures could return to single-digit levels if conditions in the Gulf region stabilise and the recent increase in prices eases over the coming weeks and months. His comments came as the government continues to monitor inflation alongside other economic indicators during the current IMF-supported policy framework. The Monthly Development Outlook provides the Planning Ministry’s regular assessment of economic and development conditions and policy priorities.
Iqbal also criticised the growth performance recorded during the previous PTI-led government, referring to a reported growth rate of around 6 percent. He argued that the expansion was driven largely by consumption and imports and was accompanied by a decline in foreign exchange reserves. He said the government’s preferred approach would instead place greater emphasis on exports and private-sector investment as sources of economic expansion.
The Planning Ministry has continued to emphasise export growth and productive investment as part of its broader economic policy agenda. The September update places these priorities alongside improvements in public investment, technology, human capital and climate resilience. The ministry has also stressed the importance of institutional coordination and stronger implementation capacity as Pakistan works to translate development plans into projects and measurable economic outcomes.
The request for inclusion in the IMF negotiation team now puts the Planning Ministry forward as an additional government stakeholder in discussions covering economic growth and development issues. Any decision on the composition of the negotiating team will rest with the prime minister, while the upcoming review discussions will involve Pakistani officials and the IMF mission in Islamabad.
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