Pakistan's central bank chief expects the economy to grow as much as 4.75% this fiscal year, pushing back against a recent downgrade by the International Monetary Fund. Governor Jameel Ahmad, in written responses to Reuters, argued the recovery is broader and more durable than headline export data suggest. He added that the central bank believed that agricultural activity had remained resilient despite floods and "it is even performing better than its targets." The divergence with the IMF comes at a delicate moment for Pakistan, which is emerging from a balance-of-payments crisis under a $7 billion IMF programme. Ahmad said high-frequency indicators and 6% growth in large-scale manufacturing in July–November point to strengthening demand, while agriculture has remained resilient despite last year's floods, he said.

Source: The Telegraph February 11, 2026 09:25 UTC