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Pakistan's financing minister in Beijing to seek debt relief, say sources

Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday showed up in Beijing to open talks on power sector structural reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), two government sources stated.

He held a conference with his Chinese equivalent in Beijing, they stated, and added that the finance minister together with Power Minister Awais Leghari is leading a delegation, which will use up several proposals with the Chinese side, consisting of reprofiling of almost $15 billion energy sector financial obligation.

The nations, which share a border, have been longtime allies.

Rollovers or dispensations on loans from China have actually assisted Pakistan satisfy its external financing needs in the past.

Pakistan's financing ministry, junior Financing Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and the Chinese finance ministry didn't respond to an ask for a remark.

Both the financing and power ministers told in interviews last week that they will be going over the power sector reforms in their Beijing visit, though they did not define the timing.

China has actually established over $20 billion worth of prepared energy projects in Pakistan.

The reforms has been recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which this month agreed on a $7 billion bailout for the greatly indebted South Asian economy.

Pakistan's power sector has been afflicted by high rates of power theft and distribution losses, leading to collecting financial obligation across the production chain - a concern raised by the IMF.

The federal government is executing structural reforms to minimize circular financial obligation - public liabilities that build up in the power sector due to aids and unsettled bills - by 100 billion Pakistani rupees ($ 360 million) a year, Leghari has actually said.

Poor and middle-class homes have been affected by a. previous IMF bailout reached in 2015, which included raising. power tariffs as part of the funding program that ended in. April.

(source: Reuters)