• Talks mainly focused on economic reforms and fiscal stability.
• 2 car import schemes nixed;  residence transfer rules tightened.
• 2nd $7bn EFF review, 1st $400m RSF tranche pending completion

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made significant progress toward a staff-level agreement on key economic reviews, the fund said on Thursday, following detailed discussions on fiscal reforms and financial stability measures.

An IMF team visited Karachi and Islamabad from September 24 to October 8, 2025, to hold discussions on the second review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the first review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility. 

Officials said the talks focused on assessing Pakistan’s ongoing economic reforms and the steps needed to strengthen fiscal stability and sustainability.

Pakistan and the IMF were scheduled to conclude review talks on Wednesday for the completion of the second review under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the first tranche of $400 million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) of $1.4 billion.

The IMF has set a deadline for obtaining approval from the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet for the abolition of two schemes and the tightening of the third one within the current month.

On the tariff rationalisation plan, both sides agreed that the two schemes under the baggage rules and the gift scheme for importing cars would be abolished. For the third scheme, the Transfer of Residence, vehicles will only be imported from a country where the individual has stayed for at least one year, and misuse of this scheme will be curtailed.

One official commented that all vehicles, whether from Japan or the UK, are imported to Dubai first and then brought into Pakistan, so the misuse of imported cars must be curtailed.

Pakistan and the IMF are still working to evolve a consensus on the release of the GCD Assessment report, which remains a bone of contention between the two sides. According to insiders, the government established a task force to conduct a detailed review of the vague anti-corruption framework and shared it with the IMF. The task force recommended that the FBR notify draft rules about the “Declaration of Assets of Civil Servants serving in Basic Pay Scale 17-22 and their spouses.”

It also recommended making amendments in the Civil Servants Act, 1973, to allow for the publication of Assets and Liabilities of Civil Servants; making amendments in the Elections Act to mandate Non-Elected Advisors and Special Assistants to the Prime Minister to furnish their statement of assets and liabilities; and making necessary amendments in the NAB Ordinance and the FIA Act to ensure a clear mandate definition, prepare a joint offence list, and establish coordination mechanisms between the two agencies to work harmoniously on offences where both have jurisdiction.

Further recommendations include providing training on jurisdictional boundaries to officers of the NAB, FIA, and Provincial Anti-Corruption Establishments (ACEs); making arrangements for repatriating investigating officers of the FIA posted at airports for processing immigration and tasking that responsibility to another force; and investing in technology, capacity building, and training of the FIA, NAB, and provincial ACE investigators to bring them on par with their regional counterparts.

Additionally, the task force advised conducting awareness campaigns to instill a culture of integrity among officials and educate the public on their right to seek disclosure of public information under the Right to Information Act and on the regulatory framework for reporting corrupt practices; making provisions for the appointment of lawyers through open advertisement based on specific expertise to ensure quality prosecution and for the appointment of independent members of the legal fraternity in special courts on judicial assignments; and empowering Provincial Anti-Corruption Establishments to handle money laundering cases at the provincial level.

The recommendations also include establishing a central coordination forum for assistance in investigation, forensics, intelligence sharing, and addressing jurisdictional issues; ensuring that Chief Internal Auditors are appointed within Ministries and Divisions as required by the Public Finance Management Act; and ensuring strict compliance with the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Act, 2023, and that government entities are run in line with section 36 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2019.

Dolly Parton isn’t dying, she assured worried fans on Wednesday in a video posted to her social media.

“I want to say something,” the 79-year-old music legend said at the start of the video, which she said was taken on Wednesday.  “I know lately everybody thinks I’m sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here.” 

She said she was “doing some commercials for the Grand Ole Opry,” and stated: “I’m not dying.”

Parton’s spokesperson, Marcel Pariseau, told CBS News on Tuesday that she was filming the video to address everyone’s concerns. It comes after Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, posted on social media asking for prayers for the “9 to 5” singer.

“I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease,” Parton said in her video. “I appreciate your prayers because I’m a person of faith. I could always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I’m OK.”

Parton appeared in good spirits and joked that she had seen some AI images of Reba McEntire at her deathbed.

“If I was really dying, I don’t think Reba would be the one at my death bed. She might come visit me earlier,” she said. “Anyway, there’s just a lot of rumors flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was OK.”

The country superstar added that she had not been taking care of herself when her husband Carl Dean, who died earlier this year, was sick for a long time.

“When I got around to it, the doctor said, ‘We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.’ Nothing major but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home,” Parton said.

Last month, Parton announced she was postponing her upcoming Las Vegas concerts over recent “health challenges.”

“I’m not ready to die yet,” Parton said in closing. “I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working. So I love you for caring, and thank you for praying for me.”

Jason Kelce has been weighing in on Taylor Swift’s latest project and one song, in particular, seems to have struck a chord at home.

According to PEOPLE Magazine, the NFL star discussed The Life of a Showgirl during the latest episode of his New Heights podcast.

“‘Wi$h Li$t.’ Now, I’d put that up there with one of my top tracks on the album,” Jason began. 

“And Kylie listened to that first and she was the one who told me to go back and listen to it.”

He then opened up about how the song’s message reminded him of his wife’s outlook. 

“I think the sentiment behind that song is fantastic. It’s very well done. It’s clever. It talks about what life really is about and what relationships are about and I think it’s very well done.”

“Kylie, big fan of ‘Wi$h Li$t,’” Jason added. 

“She was the one who really, she was like, ‘No, you have to listen to that one again. That one’s f****** really awesome.’”

“And that’s Kylie’s mentality too. She’s not a materialistic person. She’s never been.”

Before conclusion, he also joked about her no-fuss approach to gifts.

 “Whenever I ask her what she wants for Christmas or her birthday or whatever, she gives me f***** nothing,” he said with a laugh.

 “She’s like, ‘Oh no, I don’t want anything. I just want to spend time with you.’ I’m like, ‘I know you want something and I don’t know what to get you so just help me out. Help me out!’”