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  Business   Economy  13 Apr 2020  IMF to consider $1.4 billion loan to Pak to tackle covid19 economic fallout

IMF to consider $1.4 billion loan to Pak to tackle covid19 economic fallout

PTI
Published : Apr 13, 2020, 1:32 pm IST
Updated : Apr 13, 2020, 1:32 pm IST

Pakistan in March had requested the IMF for a low-cost, fast-disbursing loan under the fund's Rapid Financing Instrument

 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. (PTI Photo)
  Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. (PTI Photo)

Islamabad: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is all set to consider a loan of USD 1.4 billion for cash-strapped Pakistan to boost its foreign exchange reserves in the wake of the economic slowdown due to the coronavirus crisis.

The USD 1.4 billion loan is in addition to the USD 6 billion bailout package that Pakistan has signed with the IMF in July last year to stave off a balance of payment crisis.

The global money lender has called its executive board meeting on April 16 to consider an extra loan of USD 1.4 billion for Pakistan to boost its foreign exchange reserves and extend budgetary support in the wake of the economic slowdown the country is facing due to the deadly viral infection, a news daily reported on Monday.

Pakistan in March had requested the IMF for a low-cost, fast-disbursing loan under the fund's Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to deal with the adverse economic impact of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has appealed for a "global initiative on debt relief" to help developing countries like Pakistan to overcome disastrous impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In a televised speech on Sunday, Khan noted that the deadly virus posed unprecedented health and economic challenges and the global recession is a certainty, which could be worse than the "Great Depression".

"A global pandemic cannot be contained without strong, coordinated and well-crafted global response," he said, urging the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council and the international financial institutions, to respond positively to the dilemma confronting the developing counties in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"In the developed world, the dilemma is coronavirus and economy. But we as a developing nation face another major dilemma, how to prevent people from dying of hunger. I implore those who walk in the corridors of power to make a stimulus package for the developing world to help them through this economic downturn," Khan said.

Pakistan has recorded more than 5,370 COVID-19 cases and over 92 people have died due to the disease.

The government has already announced Rs 1.2 trillion fiscal stimulus package to offset the adverse impacts of the viral pandemic on the country's fragile economy.

The country also approached multilateral donors for additional funds to fight the pandemic and its economic implications.

The World Bank has earlier approved USD 1 billion and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) USD 1.5 billion for Pakistan to keep its economy afloat.

Tags: international monetary fund (imf), coronavirus crisis, economic slowdown, foreign exchange reserves, pakistan coronavirus, pakistan
Location: Pakistan, Islamabad, Islamabad