Pakistan says has not asked for IMF facility

ISLAMABAD Oct 23 (Reuters) - Pakistan has not formally requested a facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the prime minister's top adviser on economic affairs said on Thursday.

"We have not formally requested the board of the IMF for a facility, as of now," the adviser, Shaukat Tarin, told a news conference in Islamabad.

The IMF said on Wednesday Pakistan had requested financial assistance and talks on a loan programme would begin in the next few days. (Writing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Kazunori Takada)