Pakistan election: Imran Khan looks at plan for $12bn IMF bailout
Haroon Janjua, Islamabad
July 31 2018, 12:01am, The Times
Imran Khan’s party is 22 seats short of an overall majorityAAMIR QURESHI/GETTY IMAGES
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Imran Khan, Pakistan’s newly-elected prime minister, is set to approve the country’s largest bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
Financial officials will brief Mr Khan on seeking $12 billion of support soon after he takes office.
Mr Khan, the cricketer turned politician, is negotiating with smaller parties to form a coalition government. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has 115 seats, 22 short of a majority.
A source in the finance ministry said: “Pakistan desperately needs financial help and at the moment an IMF bailout is the possible option.” In May, Mr Khan hinted that he would approach the IMF for loans if he won power.
The country’s foreign reserves of $9 billion are too low to cover imports for the coming months. Pakistan’s exports are declining while rising oil prices make imports more expensive.
Experts say that approaching the IMF, which is based in Washington, is a difficult choice for the PTI and one which would hurt Mr Khan’s political reputation.
During the election campaign, he made promises to spend on development and social safety nets which will be tough to fulfil in the greater financial crisis the country is facing.
Sakib Sherani, a former adviser to the finance ministry, said: “The new government will have to take a number of steps to contain the pressure on the balance of payments.”
Pakistan would need to approach the IMF with a well-thought out programme which would “complement new financing with initiating comprehensive economic reform”, he added.