Pakistan’s powerful army chief has appealed to Washington to use its leverage to secure the early release of International Monetary Fund money, Pakistani sources said, as the South Asian nation struggles to stave off an economic crisis.
Pakistan’s foreign office confirmed a phone conversation between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and General Qamar Javed Bajwa, but did not provide details.
Islamabad and the IMF reached a staff-level agreement earlier this month to pave the way for the release of a tranche of $1.17 billion – but the lender is awaiting approval from its board, which is not scheduled to meet until late August.
Reuters.
