Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation today to discuss Pakistan’s economic reform agenda as the country prepares its budget for fiscal year 2025-26.

The IMF delegation was led by Jihad Azour, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department. Also in attendance were several Pakistani federal ministers and senior officials, including the Secretary of Finance and the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), both sides reviewed the progress of the ongoing IMF program in Pakistan. The statement expressed satisfaction with the government’s reform implementation and the positive results achieved so far.

Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accelerating institutional and macroeconomic reforms. The IMF delegation reiterated its continued support for Pakistan’s reform efforts, economic stability, and development.

This meeting comes after the IMF and Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement in March for a new $1.3 billion arrangement and the first review of the ongoing 37-month bailout program. The $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) was approved by the IMF’s Executive Board in September 2024.

Analysts consider the IMF program crucial for providing a roadmap for economic reforms and bolstering the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Pakistan is scheduled to announce its FY26 federal budget in June.