SLA on 37-month EFF: $7bn new loan deal reached with IMF

ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff and the Pakistani authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on a 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Arrangement of about $7 billion aims to support the authorities’ efforts to cement macroeconomic stability and create conditions for a stronger, more inclusive and resilient growth.

This SLA on a comprehensive programme endorsed by the federal and provincial governments is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board and the timely confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.

In response to a request by the Pakistani authorities, an IMF team led by Nathan Porter, IMF’s Mission Chief to Pakistan, held discussions during the May 13-23, 2024 staff visit to Islamabad and virtually thereafter on IMF support for the authorities’ medium-term policy and reform plans. At the end of the discussions, Porter issued the following statement: “The Pakistani authorities and the IMF team have reached a staff-level agreement on a comprehensive program endorsed by the federal and provincial governments, that could be supported by a 37-month Extended Fund Arrangement (EFF) in the amount equivalent to SDR 5,320 million (or about $7 billion at current exchange rates). This agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board and the timely confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.

IMF’s EFF: Notable progress made towards reaching SLA

“cto spur private sector-led growth. Key policy goals of the authorities’ program include:

“Sustainable public finances, through a gradual fiscal consolidation based on reforms to broaden the tax base and remove exemptions, while increasing resources for critical development and social spending. In this regard, the authorities plan to increase tax revenues through measures of 1½ per cent of GDP in FY25 and 3 per cent of GDP over the program. In particular, the recently approved FY25 budget targets an underlying general government primary surplus of 1 per cent of GDP (2 per cent in headline terms). Revenue collections will be supported by simpler and fairer direct and indirect taxation, including by bringing net income from the retail, export, and agriculture sectors properly into the tax system. At the same time, the FY25 budget provides additional resources to expand social protection by increasing both the generosity and coverage of BISP, education, and health spending.

“A fairer balance of fiscal effort between the Federal and Provincial governments, which have agreed to rebalance spending activities in line with the 18th constitutional amendment through the signature of a National Fiscal Pact that devolves to provincial governments higher spending for education, health, social protection, and regional public infrastructure investment, enabling improved public service provision. At the same time, the provinces will take steps to increase their own tax-collection efforts, including in sales tax on services and agricultural income tax. On the latter, all provinces are committed to fully harmonizing their Agriculture Income Tax regimes through legislative changes with the federal personal and corporate income tax regimes and this will become effective from January 1, 2025.

Reducing inflation, deepening access to financing, and building strong external buffers are key to development and resilience. Monetary policy will continue to be focused on supporting disinflation, which will help protect real incomes, especially for the most vulnerable. To buffer against shocks and build reserves, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will maintain a flexible exchange rate and continue to improve the functioning of the foreign exchange market and the transparency around FX operations. On financial stability, the authorities plan to take measures to deepen access to financing, while strengthening financial institutions, addressing any undercapitalized banks, and upgrading their crisis management framework.

Restoring energy sector viability and minimizing fiscal risks through the timely adjustment of energy tariffs, decisive cost-reducing reforms, and refraining from further unnecessary expansion of generation capacity. The authorities remain committed to undertaking targeted subsidy reforms and replace cross-subsidies to households with direct and targeted BISP support.

“Promoting private sector and export dynamism by improving the business environment, creating a level-playing field for all businesses, and removing state distortions. In this regard, the authorities are advancing efforts to improve SOE operations and management as well as privatization (with the highest priority given to the most profitable SOEs) and strengthening transparency and governance around the Pakistan Sovereign Wealth Fund and its operations. They are also phasing out incentives to Special Economic Zones, phasing out agricultural support prices and associated subsidies, and refraining from new regulatory or tax-based incentives, or any guaranteed return that could distort the investment landscape, including for projects channeled through the Special Investment Facilitation Council. The authorities have also committed to advance anti-corruption as well as governance and transparency reforms, and gradually liberalize trade policy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024