An IMF mission is due to visit Islamabad soon, to discuss the budget and decide whether to implement the second year of a $1,500 million three- year lending programme begun in February 1994 (MEED 9:6:95).

In a report, the government said it had set new targets for the fiscal year 1995/96 which would form the basis of discussions with the IMF on resuming the lending programme. The GDP growth target has been set at 6.5 per cent in 1995/96, compared with 4.7 per cent in 1994/95. The target for inflation is 9.5 per cent compared with 13 per cent this year.