The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has tightened oversight of Pakistan’s bailout programme, imposing 11 fresh conditions and warning that escalating military tensions with India could undermine fiscal stability and reform efforts. As per The Express Tribune and PTI, the total number of IMF-imposed conditions has now reached 50, a stark indication of the programme’s increasing stringency. Among the newly introduced requirements are parliamentary approval of a Rs 17.6 trillion federal budget, structural tax reforms, energy sector corrections, and relaxed import rules for used cars. The IMF’s Staff-Level Report, released on Saturday, explicitly stated: “Rising tensions between India and Pakistan, if sustained or deteriorate further, could heighten risks to the fiscal, external and reform goals of the programme.” Read More
