ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cleared payment to Pakistan of a final $102 million tranche in a $6.4 billion three-year programme on Thursday, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif echoed the sentiment, saying Pakistan was able to stand on its own feet economically.

In Islamabad, Sharif told lawmakers from his party that his government had ended the country’s reliance on foreign multilateral assistance and was saying “goodbye” to the Fund.

“With the grace of God, we will say goodbye to IMF after this (agreement),” he said.

Sharif had been under pressure from the opposition for seeking the loan in 2013 because its conditions included forcing the government to raise taxes and energy prices.

The IMF note cautioned however that to consolidate and reinforce the gains achieved in the last three years, it was important to “strengthen public finances and external buffers, broaden the tax net, (and) improve public financial management,” among other measures. – AFP