Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program is widely viewed as anti-growth once Pakistan’s population increase is taken into account.
Speaking at the closing session of the Pakistan Policy Dialogue 2026, Dar said only growth above 2.6 percent should be considered net growth.
Dar said CPEC 2.0 and expanding economic engagement with the United States, Europe, the Gulf and Central Asia are supporting trade, investment, connectivity and employment. There is a need to bridge an external financing gap of about $30 billion and the gap could be covered through a $10 billion increase each in remittances, exports and services.
He added that the government has implemented difficult reforms,, including the privatisation of state-owned enterprises, reduction of circular debt, right-sizing of the government, and digital governance.
He further said these measures have contributed to a current account surplus, eased inflation, improved revenue performance and renewed investor confidence.
On external economic relations, Dar said Pakistan is negotiating a 19 percent tariff arrangement with the United States and that Pakistan has also signed a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia.
He said relations with Bangladesh have entered a new phase and noted the existence of a China–Pakistan–Bangladesh trilateral framework. A similar trilateral arrangement of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan is under consideration, he added.