Cash-strapped Pakistan gets USD 8 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia

Pakistan has faced growing economic challenges, with high inflation, sliding forex reserves, a widening current account deficit and a depreciating currency

Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide Pakistan with a "sizeable package" of around USD 8 billion to help the cash-starved country bolster dwindling forex reserves and revive its ailing economy, a media report said on Sunday.

Pakistan has faced growing economic challenges, with high inflation, sliding forex reserves, a widening current account deficit and a depreciating currency.

Pakistan secured the deal during the visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia. The financial package includes doubling of the oil financing facility, additional money either through deposits or Sukuks and rolling over of the existing USD 4.2 billion facilities, The News newspaper reported.

"However, technical details are being worked out and it will take a couple of weeks to get all documents ready," the report said, citing top official sources privy to the development.

Prime Minister Sharif and his official entourage have left Saudi Arabia but Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail is still in the Gulf country to finalise the modalities of the financial package.

"Just said goodbye to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other colleagues at Jeddah Airport, who are on their way to Islamabad after a brief stopover in Abu Dhabi to meet Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Zayed. I remain in SA to meet Saudi officials and start technical-level talks," Mr. Ismail said in a tweet.