Here's a list of all budget measures Pakistan, IMF have agreed on

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Business Desk
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International Monetary Fund logo is seen inside the headquarters at the end of the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, US, October 9, 2016. Reuters/File
International Monetary Fund logo is seen inside the headquarters at the end of the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, US, October 9, 2016. Reuters/File

KARACHI: Major progress in talks on the revival of Pakistan’s $6 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme helped soothe markets and slightly lifted the four-month-long period of economic uncertainty that took a heavy toll on the rupee, eroding the confidence of investors.

Resident Representative to Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz said Wednesday morning that discussions between the Fund mission and Pakistan are underway and major progress has been made regarding the budget for fiscal year 2022-23.

"Discussions between the IMF staff and the authorities on policies to strengthen macroeconomic stability in the coming year continue," Ruiz said.

Read more: PSX gains after Pakistan reaches understanding with IMF

Meanwhile Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail confirmed: “Pakistan and the IMF locked the budget details and achieved substantial progress on finalising budgetary targets for 2022-23".

"Now the Memorandum for Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) will be shared by the IMF soon,” the minister said.

The statements came as Pakistan's economy teeters on the brink of a financial crisis, with foreign exchange reserves drying up fast and the Pakistani rupee at record lows against the US dollar amid the uncertainty surrounding the IMF programme.

The IMF has also conceded some ground and retreated from its earlier demand to impose Rs30 per litre petroleum levy and 10.5% sales tax with effect from July 1.

It has been agreed between both sides that the Rs10 per litre petroleum levy will be imposed from July 1 and after that, it will be increased by Rs5 per month until it reaches the maximum threshold of Rs50 per litre. The GST will not be imposed immediately on petroleum products.

Read more: Pakistani rupee recovers against US dollar on 'broad agreement' with IMF

While significant progress has been made, there are certain changes that the IMF has made in the federal budget which was unveiled by Miftah on June 10. Some of those include:

  • Increase in the size of the total budget outlay
  • Revision in Federal Revenue Board’s (FBR) tax collection target
  • Imposition of poverty tax
  • Changes in income tax slabs

According to details available with Geo.tv and Ismail Iqbal Securities, here is a complete list of proposed changes in the federal budget for the next fiscal year 2022-23 after discussions with the IMF.

Item

Budget

Revised

Budget outlay increasedRs9,502 billionRs9,900 billion
Change in FBR's collection base in FY22Rs7,004 billionRs7,442 billion 
Poverty tax to be imposed in slabs>Rs300 million, 2% tax>Rs150 million, 1% tax
>Rs200 million, 2% tax
>Rs250 million, 3% tax
>Rs300 million, 4% tax
Pension target revisedRs530 billionRs609 billion
Civilian govt expenditures revised Rs550 billionRs600 billion
Gas Infrastructure Development Cess collection target reverted due to litigationRs200 billionNo target set
Custom duty collection target revisedRs953 billionRs1,005 billion
Increase in personal income tax targetRs47 billion reliefNot available 
Annual tax exemption limit revised

Rs1.2 millionRs600,000