A technical team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is in Pakistan to evaluate reforms introduced to strengthen anti-corruption institutions and improve governance, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Sources told 24News TV channel that the IMF team, during its visit, would also assess whether merit was followed in the appointment of judges, and what was the situation with respect to the independence of the judiciary, banking and money laundering in the country.
The sources informed that the IMF delegation would finish its task by February 14.
Elaborating further, the sources said that members of the delegation would also meet with the representatives of 19 ministries, departments and organisations.
Among those with whom the delegation would meet were members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) and the Supreme Court judges, they said, adding that the purpose of the visit was to ensure that the rule of law has taken root in the country besides corrupt practices were eliminated.
The visit had been planned in September 2024. The international money lending organisation would publish its findings in July, the sources informed.
Under the $7 billion agreement, the government is bound to publish a complete report, detailing the state of governance in Pakistan.
According to reports, the IMF team will meet with representatives from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Pakistan, and Ministry of Law, among others.
The discussions are expected to cover judicial independence, legal and financial transparency, and the process of appointing judges.
The primary objective of the visit is to review rule of law measures, anti-corruption strategies, suspicious transactions monitoring, banking regulations, and transparency in development projects. Special focus will be placed on NAB’s role in combating corruption and ways to enhance its effectiveness.
Mahir Binici says IMF technical team is visiting Pakistan
The IMF’s Representative for Pakistan Mahir Binici said that it was the Fund’s technical team, and not the review mission, which had come to the country.
In an informal chat with journalists in Islamabad, he said the team would not hold discussions on the country’s loan programme.
He again said that no matter concerning the loan programme was a part of the schedule of the money lending organisation.
Reporter: Waqas Azeem