ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that the ninth review of the country's $7 billion loan program was in order and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) "can't dictate" it measures for the release a $500 million tranche.
The IMF review for the release of its next tranche of funding has been pending since September, which has left Pakistan in dire need of external financing.
Dar told a Pakistani TV station that all targets for the IMF review had been completed and that withholding a tranche despite that would not make sense.
"Our ninth review is totally in order... I have reminded them they should come and review and give Pakistan $500 million," the finance minister said.
"[You] can't dictate."
Pakistan secured a $6 billion bailout in 2019 under an Extended Fund Facility (EFF), that was topped up with another $1 billion earlier this year.
The minister said Pakistan's foreign reserves, currently at $7.5 billion, would be shored up with a $3 billion financing from a friendly country in the next two weeks.
But the reserves at the moment are barely enough for a month of imports for the South Asian nation, facing a widening current account deficit and balance-of-payment crises as well as depreciation of national currency.
Asked about a delay in the visit of an IMF delegation to Pakistan, Dar said he "didn't care" and he did not want to plead for the visit.
"If it (money) doesn't come, we will manage, no problem," the minister added.