Loan Tranche

ISLAMABAD: Sources have reported that discussions regarding the second tranche of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan are likely to take place in the last week of October.

During an online meeting between the Federal Board of Revenue and the IMF, officials conveyed that Pakistan does not intend to introduce new taxes.

The FBR expressed confidence in achieving the tax recovery target without the need for new taxes.

Sources also noted the IMF’s satisfaction with the FBR’s performance and mentioned that Pakistan will share its economic performance data for the first week of October.

Additionally, taxation data for the first quarter of the fiscal year (July to September) will be shared with the IMF in the coming week.

Furthermore, Pakistan has presented a plan for cracking down on tax evasion to the IMF.

It’s important to note that under IMF pressure, the development budget can reduced by Rs 150 to Rs 200 billion.

Federal Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar disclosed this information during a meeting with provincial finance ministers.

ICC Reveals Commentary Panel for 2023 World Cup

Meanwhile, the ICC ODI World Cup, set to begin on October 5 in India, will feature renowned cricketing voices in the commentary box.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the panel of commentators for the event, including two Pakistanis.

The tournament commences with a clash between defending champions England and finalists New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

Prominent international cricket figures and former captains, such as Waqar Younis, Ramiz Raja, Shaun Pollock, Anjum Chopra, Michael Atherton, Shane Watson, Lisa Sthalekar, Ravi Shastri, Aaron Finch, Sunil Gavaskar, and Matthew Hayden, will provide live commentary during the World Cup matches.