- Premier Shehbaz acknowledges IMF’s longstanding constructive partnership, lauding fund’s timely support through various instruments
- Says our economy showing positive signs of stabilization with deep-rooted structural reforms in place, thanking IMF for its role in reform efforts
- IMF chief Georgieva expressed sympathy for flood-affected communities, assuring continued support and praising reform progress
- PM meets WB president, welcomes new CPF to provide $40 billion for Pakistan
NEW YORK/ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Pakistan was steadily meeting its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme commitments but urged the lender to take into account the devastation caused by recent floods in its upcoming review, acknowledging and lauding the IMF’s longstanding constructive partnership with Pakistan.
“Pakistan was making steady progress towards meeting the various targets and commitments under the IMF programme, but the severe impact of the recent floods on Pakistan’s economy must be factored into the IMF’s review,” a statement issued by the Press Information Department (PID) quoted the prime minister as saying.
Premier Shehbaz Sharif expressed the views during a meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He acknowledged and appreciated the IMF’s longstanding constructive partnership with Pakistan, which has strengthened under Georgieva’s leadership.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Ms Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly today.
The Prime Minister appreciated the IMF’s longstanding constructive… pic.twitter.com/949yZmZglA
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 24, 2025
He expressed gratitude for the IMF’s timely support through various instruments, including the Stand-By Arrangement of $3 billion for FY 2024, the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of $7 billion, and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) of $1.4 billion, the PID reported.
“Today, with deep-rooted structural reforms in place, Pakistan’s economy is showing positive signs of stabilization and is moving towards recovery,” the Prime Minister said. He also thanked the IMF for its instrumental role in guiding the government’s economic reform efforts, the PID added.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister appreciated the IMF’s longstanding constructive… pic.twitter.com/ggY4ocwMLL
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 24, 2025
According to a report by Topline Securities, Pakistan is on track to meet all seven Quantitative Performance Criteria (QPC) set by the IMF ahead of the September 25 review of its $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), approved in May this year. The review will assess Pakistan’s performance for the March–June quarter of 2025.
However, unprecedented floods this year have battered both rural heartlands and industrial centres, causing billions of dollars in damage, straining food supplies, hitting exports, and undermining fragile signs of recovery.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meets Managing Director of IMF Ms. Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of 80th Session of UNGA. New York, 24 September 2025.#PMShehbazAtUNGA pic.twitter.com/KJlW8hRTql
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 24, 2025
Pakistan had been optimistic about 2026, forecasting 4.2 per cent growth on the back of a rebound in farming and manufacturing after stabilisation under the IMF bailout. Instead, record monsoon rains since late June, intensified by dam releases from India, have submerged large areas of Punjab and Sindh.
Officials and analysts warn the current losses may prove even deeper than those of 2022, when a third of the country was under water, as agriculture and manufacturing both face simultaneous shocks. A GEOGLAM report estimates at least 220,000 hectares of rice fields were flooded between August 1 and September 16, while Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority reported 1.8 million acres of farmland inundated.
According to the PID statement, Georgieva expressed sympathy for flood-affected communities, stressing the importance of a comprehensive damage assessment to guide recovery priorities.
She also commended PM Shehbaz’s commitment to sound macroeconomic policies and reiterated the IMF’s continued support as Pakistan advances reforms for sustainable growth.
Meeting with World Bank president
Separately, PM Shehbaz also met World Bank (WB) Group President Ajay Banga and praised the bank’s support to Pakistan, the PID said in a separate statement.
While appreciating Banga’s leadership, the prime minister briefed him on the government’s “comprehensive reform agenda, encompassing resource mobilisation, energy sector reforms, privatisation, and measures to build resilience against climate change.”
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with Mr. Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group (WBG), on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the World Bank’s new Country Partnership Framework… pic.twitter.com/eq26CvX0aJ
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 24, 2025
He also welcomed the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF), providing $40 billion for Pakistan, and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensure its effective implementation in close coordination with provincial administrations.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meets President World Bank Ajay Banga on the sidelines of 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. New York, 24 September 2025.#PMShehbazAtUNGA pic.twitter.com/1BXEFFw5aS
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 24, 2025
The WB president lauded Pakistan’s reform efforts and emphasised the bank’s readiness to extend continued support for economic reforms and long-term climate resilience projects under the CPF. Both sides reiterated their resolve to strengthen cooperation in advancing Pakistan’s development priorities, the statement added.
