KARACHI (APP) - Advisor to PM on Finance Shaukat Tarin said Saturday that the country has met all the targets set by International Monetary Fund (IMF). He was talking to media after holding meeting with the management of Pak-Oman Investment Company Ltd at FTC building. He said that the government borrowing was restricted to Rs 242 billion during the year which is below the target of Rs 258 billion. "Our borrowings are below the target. We are meeting all the targets of IMF and I have no worries about it", he added. Responding to a question, the Advisor said the government will consider lowering discount rates when core inflation starts coming down. The current rate of inflation is 24 percent in the country while the core inflation was hovering at 18.9 percent, he added and hoped that core inflation will come down soon. Talking of oil prices, he said that the government has lowered petrol prices by Rs 30 per litre or more than 40 percent since international oil prices have started slipping. "We have reduced petrol price from Rs 87 to about Rs 57 a litre On the contrary, our neighbour India has reduced petrol price by only Rs 5 per litre", he opined. Tarin said that the government would fully pass on the reduction in oil prices at a suitable time. Presently, we cannot fully pass on the benefit of oil price cut keeping in view the situation on the borders and pressure on the revenue collection, he noted. Replying to a question about the meeting at Pak-Oman Investment Ltd, he said that it was in connection to have a review of financial sector in the country specially state-owned entities. The government had invested billions of rupees in these organisations and we want to see whether the private sector is benefited with this money or not. What is the return and what are the benefits, he maintained. "I am hopeful that this review will bring in improvement in the performance of financial sector", he observed. To another question, the Advisor said that the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first five months of current fiscal is up by at least 1 to 2 percent over last year's (2007-08) figure of $ 1.7 billion. Referring to steps for strengthening the capital market, he pointed out that energy, telecom and banking sectors were going strong and investment inflow will increase in the country. Tarin said that Treasury Stock Ordinance would be promulgated in next two days to allow public sector corporate sector to buy their own shares at low prices and sell them when they are up. At the same time we have provided a soft lending in stock market to provide sufficient funding. This will certainly support the market, he added. To a question about the privatisation of Qadirpur gas field, he said the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has already made it clear on the floor it will be done after due consultation. He said that only 10 to 15 percent employees of Pakistan Steel Mills would be privatised. Tarin said that he will also meet private sector people to get their input on the economy and also about their problems. We will also solve their problems, he added. Responding to a question about the Friends of Pakistan, he said that time was right to have a meeting with them because the United States was in a transition period. Let the new government take over in USA. Meanwhile we are holding individual meetings with member countries. I am going to Saudi Arabia to hold meeting with its finance minister, he pointed out. Earlier, CEO Pak-Oman Investment Company Ltd Zafar Iqbal briefed the Advisor on the performance of the investment company.