Overview
- Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the IMF board is expected to approve the next tranche in early December after a staff-level agreement on the second review.
- He cited a steadier backdrop with a stable exchange rate, foreign reserves above $14 billion covering more than 2.5 months of imports, single-digit inflation, and rating-agency outlooks upgraded to stable.
- Aurangzeb said Google will open a Pakistan office and is weighing the country as an export hub as the government promotes a private-sector-led, technology-focused model.
- The minister said 24 state-owned enterprises are slated for privatization, with Pakistan International Airlines targeted for completion before year-end.
- He positioned the blue economy as a growth pillar targeting $100 billion by 2047, outlining fisheries upgrades, port digitisation, offshore renewables, and blue-bond financing to lift seafood exports toward $2 billion within three to four years.