Pakistan’s USD 7 bln bailout deal with the IMF, secured amid record inflation and depleted reserves, imposes significant challenges. The program includes a record 40% tax increase, sparking panic nationwide. Electricity prices have surged threefold for some, and milk in Karachi now costs more than in Paris. Many Pakistanis now spend over half their income on food, with basic goods increasingly unaffordable for a shrinking middle class.