Pakistan needs over USD 10 billion to pay back loans, meet expenses

According to the latest IMF report, released after completion of the third review of Pakistan's economy under USD 6.7 billion bailout programme, most of the funds are needed to return the loans that the country has taken from foreign lenders over the years, says the report.

The report, jointly prepared by the IMF staff and State Bank of Pakistan, says Pakistan will require USD 3.1 billion just to cover the current account deficit.

The government in the new fiscal year 2014-15 expects to receive USD 1.4 billion in Coalition Support Fund (CSF), which reflects the expenses the country makes on defence and logistics in the global war against terrorism and is later on paid by US, it said.

Against the estimated CSF of USD 1.4 billion for the last fiscal year, the government received only USD 674 million in two tranches.

The report said hopes for a third tranche of USD 375 million in the last quarter of the year were dashed, which would increase the current account deficit by the same amount.

The delay in launching an operation in North Waziristan was a reason for stopping the release of the promised USD 375 million, it said.

The government needs USD 5.4 billion to retire medium and long-term debt including USD 1.3 billion to the IMF, besides another USD 3.6 billion to pay back loans acquired from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

An amount of USD 2.3 billion will also be needed to return short-term loans that the Pakistan government has received in the last one year.

Against this huge financing gap, the report puts available financing at USD 6.5 billion.

It expects the country to receive USD 4.3 billion on account of FDI and privatization proceeds.

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