ISLAMABAD, Jan 16: A top level IMF mission is coming today (Friday) to discuss Jamali government’s economic policies.

The mission will be headed by Mr. George Abed, Director of Middle East Department of the Fund.

The mission will consist of Divisional Chief of the IMF Klaus Enders and three other senior members.

“The mission is reaching here to discuss the Jamali government’s new economic strategy and its plans to achieve higher growth and remove poverty,” said IMF Resident Representative Henri Chesquiere told Dawn on Thursday.

He said that policy level discussions would be held during the mission’s visit including a review of the performance of the economy during the last quarter of 2002-03 (Oct-Dec).

An informed source told Dawn that the delay in achieving complete restructuring of the Central Board of Revenue(CBR), failure in the setting up of a Debt Coordination Office in the Ministry of Finance, slow process of privatisation, and improving the performance of major state corporations, specially Wapda and KESC, were issues likely to be discussed in detail during the visit.

The long-awaited levy of tax on agriculture income would also be discussed between the two sides.