The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has replaced Ernesto Rigo, as its mission chief to Pakistan.

The change comes as the IMF executive board might decide not to take up Pakistan’s request for the revival of $6 billion loan programme at its meeting on January 12.

Rigo had finalised loan negotiations with Pakistan in May 2019, which were started by his predecessor Herald Finger in November 2018.

The IMF has not yet formally announced the replacement of Rigo, who has now been assigned as the mission chief to Lebanon – another country that is passing through a crisis and is in negotiations with the Washington based international funding agency.

Earlier, the IMF had replaced Pakistan’s country representative Teresa Daban with another Spanish national, Esther Perez. Daban completed her four-year extended period in November.

Rigo remained Pakistan’s mission chief for about three years but had difficulties in getting the programme completed due to the challenging programme design and government’s failure to fulfil its commitments.

So far, the IMF has disbursed only US$2 billion against US$4.6 billion under the original May 2019 schedule.

The opposition and the government in Pakistan have joined hands to fast-track the approval of the 375-billion-Rupee mini-budget to meet the IMF deadline.

The Senate is now expected to give its recommendations on the Finance Supplementary Bill by Monday or Tuesday while the National Assembly session is also expected to begin on Monday to approve the mini-budget.