PM Shehbaz optimistic about agreement with IMF.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday pinned hope that Pakistan and the Intrnational Monetary Fund (IMF) would ink an agreement regarding release of the latest tranche under the ninth review of the bailout programme.

"We are making serious efforts to come out of tough circumstances," he said at the inaugural ceremony of Green Line Express train. The premier said the government was trying to save every single penny to prevent the economic crisis. "The IMF delegation will be visiting Islamabad from Jan 31 to Feb 9 to continue discussions regarding the ninth review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF)."

He said considering the dire situation of the foreign exchange reserves, the government had developed a list of items that needed to be imported based on their necessity. Mr Sharif added that the list included food and medical items.

The prime minister emphasised the adoption of austerity at a massive scale to tackle difficult economic problems. He said the government had set its priority keeping in view its foreign exchange reserves, thus allowing the import of medicines and food as essential items. He said courageous nations stand united while braving the challenges with resilience. The premier expressed confidence that with dedication and commitment, the country would soon regain its glory.

Commenting on Green Line Express train service, the premier...