IMF to hold crucial talks with Pakistan over release of final $1.1B tranche of $3B bailout
By MUNIR AHMED
Associated Press
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Officials say the International Monetary Fund will hold a crucial round of talks with Pakistan starting this week. The talks are aimed at determining whether Pakistan has met all the requirements for the cash-strapped Islamic nation to receive the final $1.1 billion tranche of last year’s $3 billion bailout. Officials said Wednesday the five-day talks will be the first with the newly elected government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose advisers have hinted that Pakistan may seek a new bailout of $7 to $8 billion when the current bailout expires this month.
