Washington: Pakistan is expected to reach a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week, paving the way for a $1.24 billion disbursement under its ongoing loan programme, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank annual meetings, the finance minister said discussions with the IMF had been 'very constructive,' and that he hoped the staff-level agreement (SLA) would be finalized within the week.

The IMF mission recently concluded its visit to Pakistan without signing the SLA on the second review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility and the first review of the $1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility agreed in 2024.

Aurangzeb also announced plans to launch Pakistan's first green Panda bond-denominated in Chinese yuan-before the end of this year, and said Islamabad aims to return to global capital markets next year with a bond sale worth at least $1 billion.

He added that the government's privatization drive, including the sale of three power distribution companies and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), was gaining momentum, with final bids expected later this year.