Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday confirmed that Pakistan is in the final stages of securing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after agreeing to all of its stringent conditions after he attended the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) earlier on the same day.
"There is an IMF board meeting tomorrow. We have fulfilled all their conditions which were very strict," the prime minister told reporters following the inaugural session of the UNGA in New York.
He also highlighted that some of the global lender's requirements were related to China, whose cooperation, once again, proved crucial for Pakistan.
Furthermore, PM Shehbaz is scheduled to meet with IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva soon, while sources within the Ministry of Finance revealed that the IMF executive board is set to convene today to potentially approve Pakistan's loan.
The premier said his government had accepted the economic challenge to the country and now, with collective efforts of the government and all institutions, it overcame those challenges.
"Economic indicators are gradually improving with hard work, day and night", the PM added.
Additionally, PM Shehbaz met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated him on his passionate address to the 79th session of the UNGA that centred on the Palestinian crisis.
"The way the Turkish President highlighted the issue touched the hearts of all those listening to him in the Assembly hall," he told reporters after meeting with the Turkish leader on the sidelines of the Assembly's 79th session.
In his emotional address, Erdogan said that the values of the United Nations' system and the Western world are dying in Gaza as the conflict continues there, calling for an "alliance of humanity" to stop Israel's aggression.
The Turkish leader strongly criticised Israel over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip and on the Western countries for their support to Israel.
"Along with children in Gaza, the United Nations system is also dying, the truth is dying, the values that the West claims to defend are dying, the hopes of humanity to live in a fairer world are dying one by one," Erdogan added.
PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan and Turkey share "brotherly relations" and that President Erdogan "would soon pay a visit to Pakistan."
PM Shehbaz also held a bilateral meeting with Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah wherein he expressed his desire in economic investments under the rubric of Special Investment Facilitation Cell.
The PM affirmed the long-standing cordial relations between the two brotherly countries and expressed Pakistan’s keenness to strengthen these ties further.
During the meeting, the two leaders also reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, ranging from political, economic and defense cooperation to people-people exchanges.
PM Shehbaz also expressed his desire to engage with Kuwait in mutually beneficial economic investments under the rubric of Special Investment Facilitation Cell.
The two leaders affirmed to closely collaborate bilaterally, as well as on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
FIR states that the chief executive was leading an armed mob at Sialkot Interchange
The hearing of case adjourned till September 26 after copies of challan provided to accused
Barrister Gohar demands ECP declare remaining 38 MNAs as PTI lawmakers after SC detailed verdict
Senior puisne judge expresses concern over Justice Munib’s removal from judges’ committee
Interior minister visits Saudi Embassy to mark special occasion, meets Ambassador Al-Maliki
"Strengthening of relations is of utmost importance to me," says President Xi Jinping