ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has received $2 billion from State Bank of Pakistan, confirmed on Thursday, providing a timely boost to the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
According to the central bank, the funds were credited with a value date of April 15, 2026. The development comes during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ongoing visit to Saudi Arabia, where he is engaging in diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting regional peace.
A day earlier, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pledged an additional $3 billion in deposits and extended its existing $5 billion financial facility for Pakistan for another three years. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that the $5 billion deposit will now be maintained on a longer-term basis, replacing the previous annual rollover arrangement.
The inflow comes at a critical time, as Pakistan prepares to repay a $3.5 billion loan to the United Arab Emirates later this month—adding pressure on its external reserves and increasing the risk of missing targets set by the International Monetary Fund.
Pakistan’s external account is already facing strain due to rising global oil prices and economic spillovers from ongoing tensions in the Middle East. As of March 27, the country’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $16.4 billion, covering nearly three months of imports.
In March, Islamabad was unable to secure a rollover agreement for the $3.5 billion UAE facility—marking the first such instance in seven years and raising concerns over short-term financing gaps.
Despite these pressures, Pakistan’s economic outlook remains tied to broader stabilisation efforts under IMF-backed reforms. Analysts caution that external financing risks continue to pose a major challenge, particularly amid volatile energy markets and tight global financial conditions.
