Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund

Pakistan joined IMF on 11 July 1950 as newly established country was facing fiscal problems since its creation in 1947 from British India.

In 1958, for the first time, Pakistan went to IMF for bailout. For this, IMF lent out US$25,000,000 [originally the loan-amount is given in SDR;[4] for this article it is considered to be 1SDR = 1USD] to Pakistan on standby arrangement basis on 8 December 1958.[3] Pakistan again went to IMF in 1965. This time, IMF gave US$37,500,000 to war-torn nation on 16 March 1965.[3] Three years later, Pakistan again went to IMF for third time for balance of payment problems for which IMF gave US$75,000,000 on 17 October 1968.[3]

In 1971, Pakistan lost its Eastern half, East Pakistan, after the Bangladesh Liberation War. This war caused huge loses to Pakistan. For which, Pakistan got loan of US$84,000,000 in 1972, US$75,000,000 in 1973 and another of US$75,000,000 in 1974 to meet its growing needs.[3] In 1977, another standby arrangement of US$80,000,000 was made on urgent basis.[3] Three years later, an extended facility of US$349,000,000 was reached in 1980. Struggle of Pakistan continued, as Pakistan withdrew another US$730,000,000 as Pakistan was already part of US cold war against Soviet Union.[3]

Another era was started, as democracy came back to Pakistan but old ways to handle economy poorly continued. Benazir Bhutto government withdrawn US$194,480,000 as standby arrangement and another US$382,410,000 in shape of structural adjustment facility commitment on 28 December 1988.[3] In 1990, government of Nawaz Sharif decided against going to IMF instead arranged donations from friendly countries like Saudi Arabia.

In 1993, Benazir Bhutto again came to power and her government again went to IMF and reached an agreement to get standby arrangement of US$88,000,000 on 16 September 1993.[3] Poor handling of economy continued by her government as she got loan of US$123,200,000 under the extended fund facility and another US$172,200,000 were borrowed on 22 February 1994.[3] During that period economy of Pakistan remained in poor shape and Pakistan had to go to IMF again for record third in the period of Bhutto government.[3] As per few sources, this was the most corrupt government in the history of Pakistan. This time Pakistan got an amount of US$294,690,000 on 13 December 1995.[3]

In 1997, Nawaz Sharif came to power. Benazir Bhutto government was sacked on the corruption charges and left economy of Pakistan in worst shape. Sharif government went to IMF on urgent basis for the first time and reached an agreement to get two amounts of US$265,370,000 and US$113,740,000 on October 20, 1997.[3]

In 2008, Yousaf Raza Gillani received a $7.6 billion loan from the IMF.[5]

In 2018, Imran Khan became Prime Minister of Pakistan. For this, they arranged friendly loans from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and China to avoid tough IMF conditions.[6] In 2019, when economic conditions worsened, they went to IMF for the twenty-second time for a loan of US$1 billion.[7] IMF gave loan based on conditions such as hike in energy tariffs, removal of energy subsidy, increase in taxation, privatization of public entities and fiscal policies to the budget.[6]

The Impact Of IMF Demands Real Estate Market in Pakistan

Pakistan’s real estate market is facing several challenges that are causing concern among investors and property owners. The recent demands made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to impose new taxes, high raw material and food prices, high interest rates, and the lack of investment in construction projects are contributing factors to the market’s instability. In this article, we will delve into the details of these factors and their impact on the real estate market in Pakistan.

IMF Demands For New Taxes The IMF has recently demanded that the Pakistani government impose new taxes to improve the country’s financial situation. This has led to increased costs for businesses and consumers, making it more difficult for them to invest in real estate. Additionally, new taxes may make it more difficult for the average person to afford a home, which can further decrease demand for properties.

High Raw Material And Food Prices The cost of raw materials and food items has also risen in Pakistan, making it more expensive for builders to construct new properties. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for them to sell these properties at a profit. As a result, construction activity has slowed down, which has reduced the supply of new properties on the market. This reduction in supply, combined with the decreased demand from buyers, can lead to a decrease in property prices.

High-Interest Rates High-interest rates in Pakistan make it more expensive for buyers to obtain loans to purchase properties. This, in turn, reduces the demand for properties, as fewer people are able to afford the higher monthly loan payments. Additionally, high interest rates can make it more difficult for real estate developers to obtain financing for their projects, which can result in a decrease in construction activity.

Lack Of Investment In Construction Projects The lack of investment in construction projects in Pakistan has resulted in a slowdown in the construction industry. This has reduced the supply of new properties on the market, making it more difficult for buyers to find a suitable property to purchase. Additionally, this slowdown in construction activity has reduced the demand for construction workers and related services, which can have a negative impact on the local economy.

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