SUMMARY of the Article “Three-year reform plan for IMF exit strategy” by Ishrat Husain, Dawn, October 6th, 2024

The article outlines a comprehensive three-year reform plan for Pakistan to smoothly exit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and achieve self-sustained, non-inflationary growth. It highlights the need for domestic reforms beyond merely stabilizing external accounts. To achieve these goals, the government must increase investment, control fiscal deficits, devolve basic services to local governments, address the energy crisis, and reform the civil service. Key reforms include raising the investment-to-GDP ratio to 20% by FY28, controlling the fiscal deficit at 5%, and achieving a primary surplus of 3%. Public investment should rise to 5% through fiscal consolidation, while private sector investments need to grow, especially in SMEs, agriculture, and key industries like petrochemicals and engineering. The country must tackle its recurring balance-of-payments crises by boosting domestic productive capacity in industry and agriculture to reduce reliance on imports. The energy sector also needs reform, including privatizing distribution companies and providing targeted subsidies through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). Additionally, the civil service must undergo modernization, including a merit-based recruitment system and a » Read More…