The IMF Executive Board’s schedule through August 28 has been made public, raising doubts about the final approval of Pakistan’s highly anticipated $7 billion bailout package from the IMF.
Notably, Pakistan’s name is still not on the board’s agenda, which raises questions on when the loan will be disbursed.
There is cause for hope nevertheless, as reports suggest that the Executive Board retains the authority to add things to the agenda outside of the formal timetable. This comes after the July 12 signing of the staff-level agreement between Pakistan and the IMF.
The country’s suffering economy may receive some respite from the board meeting at the end of the month, as the finance minister has alluded to.