(Updates with details, background)
KARACHI, Pakistan, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Pakistan's foreign
exchange reserves held by the central bank rose by $66 million
to $3.258 billion in the week ending Feb. 17, it said on
Thursday, while its total liquid foreign reserves stood at
$8.726 billion.
Pakistan, which is a $350 billion economy, is facing
economic turmoil, with a balance of payment crisis and only
enough foreign exchange reserves to cover three weeks of
imports.
Islamabad is expecting external financing inflows after a
deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is finalised,
something that is likely this month.
If the IMF deal is done and approved by its board, that will
issue a $1 billion funding that will also unlock other bilateral
and multilateral inflows.
China approved the refinancing of $700 million on Wednesday,
the Pakistani finance ministry said. The money had been expected
to be credited to the central bank's reserves this week.
(Reporting by Ariba Shahid; Writing by Asif Shahzad; editing by
John Stonestreet and Alexander Smith)
