Government meets another WB loan condition.

Pakistan on Wednesday met another World Bank (WB) condition in order to qualify for a $450 million loan to bridge a $6 billion financing gap, as so far only one country has verbally communicated its decision to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to give additional loans.

The condition was met days before Finance Minister Ishaq Dar's meeting with the outgoing World Bank president in Washington in which he is expected to request the lender to set a board meeting date for the approval of the loan.

Despite making a request, however, until Wednesday Pakistan was unable to secure a meeting between Dar and the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva.

The National Tax Council (NTC), on Wednesday, approved rules to determine the place where a service will be deemed to be provided by a province for the purpose of collecting sales tax. The World Bank has asked for the harmonisation of sales tax on goods and services as a condition to the loan.

The NTC approved the...