20000315

IMF team

due in April

ISLAMABAD: An IMF review mission to be headed by Ms. Sena Eken is to visit Pakistan tentatively in the first week of April for deliberations to reschedule its assistance programme under poverty reduction growth activity (PRGA).

According to the official sources, a tentative schedule of the fund reflects that the review mission will visit Pakistan next month. However, exact schedule of visit would be available soon after the US President Bill Clinton visits Pakistan on March 25.

The fund has agreeed in principle to resume its assistance to Pakistan which was suspended in the wake of Pakistan's nuclear test in May 1998.

IMF has also agreed to shift 1.56 billion dollar of ESAF-EFF programme to the poverty reduction growth acivity (PRGA), programme.

Pakistan has received about 280 million dollar of 1.56 billion dollar since 1996 under external structural adjustment facility (ESAF). While the third and fourth tranche of the funds ESAF programme, worth 280 million dollar and 220 million dollars due in September 1998 and last quarter of financial year 1999 were respectively suspended.ÑPPI