IMF Visit Announced.

After the PDM government finally let go of the disastrous policy to peg the rupee, the IMF on Thursday announced that it will be sending its mission to Pakistan next week in a bid to break a deadlock over critical conditions regarding plugging a fiscal hole around Rs2.5 trillion through a combination of taxation, expenditure and power tariff measures. This should be a moment of serious introspection for the PML-N leadership, that chose to defy the international lenders' conditions, only to walk back several months later to comply with the very same policies when the country finds itself deeper into an existential economic crisis.

As per reports, the IMF mission is scheduled to visit Islamabad from January 31 to February 9 to continue discussions under the 9th EFF (Extended Fund Facility) Review. The government's stiff posture only eased up after the US conveyed unequivocally that Islamabad must follow the IMF path, instead of seeking political favours while foreign nations, too, excused themselves from giving more lifelines without the IMF umbrella. Sources suggest that even if an agreement with the IMF is reached by February 9 and Islamabad delivers on its promises, the next tranche may not come before the end of March.

Following the unpegging of the rupee, the currency plunged to a record low of Rs 255.43 against the dollar in the interbank market...