According to a media source on Sunday, cash-strapped Pakistan will get USD 5 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, providing a necessary cushion for the country's shaky external situation.
The predicted inflows come at a critical time, as Islamabad prepares to repay USD 3.5 billion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this month, putting strain on its foreign exchange reserves, according to the Dawn daily.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar will contribute USD 5 billion in financial assistance to Pakistan to relieve pressure on its weak foreign reserves, according to the report, citing finance ministry sources.The development coincides with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb's trip to Washington to attend the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings and further Pakistan's economic diplomacy.
Aurangzeb will attend meetings scheduled from April 13 to 18, when he is anticipated to meet with senior officials from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Policymakers see these encounters as part of a larger strategic outreach, with signs that conventional elements like rigorous programme conditions or reliance on third-party guarantors, notably the UAE, may be less important in the current setting.

The IMF has stated that Pakistan's three largest bilateral creditors -- Saudi Arabia, China, and the UAE -- must keep their cash deposits with the country until the three-year program is completed. According to the Dawn story, Qatar is likely to replace the UAE.
Ahead of his departure, Aurangzeb met with Saudi finance minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan in Islamabad, who also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, indicating sustained support at a time when Pakistan has declared preparations to repay its UAE debt.
Saudi Arabia remains an important source of concessional funding for Pakistan, having rolled over deposits totalling USD 5 billion thus far.