By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam and Ariba Shahid
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan’s finance minister said on Saturday a projection in the government’s budget of 3.5% economic growth for the year ending in June 2024 was a “realistic target”.
The target was “on the lower side”, Ishaq Dar told a press conference in Islamabad, a day after presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24.
The budget is being closely watched by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the South Asian country seeks further bailout money during an economic and balance of payments crisis.
Dar said he was “hopeful” that Pakistan would pass its next IMF review, the country’s ninth, but that he “didn’t think” it would clear reviews beyond that.
In the year ending this month, Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) was projected to grow just 0.29%. The fiscal deficit for the following fiscal year was projected at 6.54% of GDP, according to the budget.
Dar said on Saturday there was “no more room” in the budget to reduce the fiscal deficit target by any further.
The country faces a series of economy crises, exacerbated by a stall in bailout funding from the IMF, which analysts said was unlikely to be significantly impressed by the budget.
Dar said that the government had no plans to reschedule its debt to Paris Club creditor nations or to seek haircuts on its debt.
In addition to requirements related to the currency and budget, Pakistan is required to secure firm and credible financing commitments to close the $6 billion gap in order to unlock funding under its long-delayed ninth IMF review. The government has gotten commitments of only $4 billion, mainly from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
(Reporting by Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam and Ariba Shahid; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Michael Perry and William Mallard)
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