Pakistan, Oct. 11 -- Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has departed for the United States to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). His six-day visit comes at a crucial time as Pakistan seeks to finalise a staff-level agreement (SLA) for ongoing loan programmes worth $8.4 billion. The IMF mission recently concluded its review talks in Islamabad without announcing a formal agreement.

The finance minister expressed hope that the SLA would be reached during his stay in Washington. According to state media, Aurangzeb will represent Pakistan at the plenary sessions of both global financial institutions. He will participate in over 65 events, including meetings, forums, and high-level eng...