Moody's places Pakistan B3 ratings under review for downgrade

The G20 has called on private sector creditors to participate in the initiative on comparable terms.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Moody s Investors Service, (Moody s) has placed Pakistan s local and foreign currency long-term issuer and senior unsecured B3 ratings under review for downgrade.

According to the official report issued in this regard, the decision to place the ratings under review for downgrade reflects Moody s expectation that the government will request for bilateral official sector debt service relief under the recently announced G20 initiative.

Suspension of debt service obligations to official creditors would be unlikely to have rating implications; indeed such relief would increase the fiscal resources available to the government for essential health and social spending due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, the G20 has called on private sector creditors to participate in the initiative on comparable terms.

Consistent with Moody s approach globally, the review period will allow the rating agency to assess whether Pakistan s participation in the initiative would likely entail default on private sector debt, notwithstanding the intended voluntary nature of private sector participation and the fact that the country has not, to Moody s knowledge, indicated an interest in extending the debt service relief request to the private sector; and, if so, whether any losses expected to arise from that participation would be consistent with a lower rating.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus, sharp deterioration in the global economic outlook, and a significant reduction in risk appetite are creating a severe economic and financial shock. For Pakistan, the current shock transmits mainly through a sharp slowdown in economic activity, lower tax revenue as economic activity slows, and higher government financing needs relative to pre-coronavirus levels.

Concurrently, Moody s has also placed the B3 foreign currency senior unsecured ratings for The Third Pakistan International Sukuk Co Ltd under review for downgrade. The associated payment obligations are, in Moody s view, direct obligations of the Government of Pakistan.