Pakistan has formally requested a $10 billion Exchange Stabilization Support Facility from the United States to help bolster its foreign currency reserves and ease pressure on the rupee. The financial proposal, submitted to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, outlines a five-year bilateral arrangement aimed at providing a crucial buffer for Islamabad’s fragile economy while reducing its dependence on emergency International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailouts. The move follows Pakistan’s high-profile role in mediating talks to de-escalate conflict between Washington and Tehran, a diplomatic effort that significantly elevated Islamabad’s international standing. Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb recently met with U.S. officials in Washington to emphasize the country’s economic vulnerability to regional geopolitical shocks and advocate for greater access to global capital markets. While the U.S. Treasury has refrained from commenting on the request, analysts note that securing such a facility would mark a significant economic dividend from Pakistan’s diplomatic peacemaking efforts, though fundamental structural challenges within its domestic economy remain.
