The International Monetary Fund (IMF) included Pakistan on its Executive Board agenda on January 11, 2024, according to its updated website.

The Executive Board will consider the final approval to disburse the next $700 million tranche under the $3 billion stand-by arrangement (SBA).

According to the IMF Executive Board calendar available on its website, the next meetings are scheduled for January 8, 10 and 11. The global lender’s board will discuss Pakistan on January 11, 2024.

Last month, it was reported that the IMF executive board will meet on January 11 to consider the current loan programme with Pakistan.

The current IMF programme of $ 3 billion is scheduled to end in the second week of April 2024, with around $1.8 billion remaining undisbursed. The Fund released $1.2 billion as the first tranche in July.

The IMF staff and the Pakistani authorities reached a staff-level agreement on November 15, on the first review under Pakistan’s SBA, subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board.

The board approval, which is typically a formality after the staff-level agreement, had been the subject of debate earlier as many expected it to happen in December.