Pakistan seeks $10 billion US support facility

Pakistan has formally requested a $10 billion financial support facility from the United States to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and stabilize its economy, according to officials and sources familiar with the matter. The request was made by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

Islamabad is seeking a Bilateral Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility with a maturity of up to five years. If approved, the mechanism would provide Pakistan with access to dollars, swaps, or guarantees through the U.S. Treasury's Exchange Stabilisation Fund, aiming to ease pressure on the Pakistani rupee and reduce reliance on multilateral lenders. Officials at Pakistan's embassy in Washington confirmed the request for U.S. support to improve the country's access to international capital markets and enhance its sovereign credit ratings, though they did not specify the $10 billion figure. Both the U.S. Treasury and Pakistan's finance ministry have declined to comment.

The request follows Pakistan's recent diplomatic role in brokering talks related to the Iran war, which elevated its international profile. Diplomatic sources in...