Staff Reporter
Karachi
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum and All Karachi Industrial Alliance Mian Zahid Hussain has said the government has borrowed record 11.3 trillion rupees over the last two years which have increased debt to GDP ratio by 87.2 percent.
The debt to GDP ratio was 86.1 percent during 2019 which has been increasing rapidly since then, he said.
In a statement issued here on Friday, Mian Zahid Hussain said that foreign loans have increased by 52 percent from June 2018 to June 2020 which is a matter of concern.
He said the increase in the debt can be attributed to IMF directions which resulted in a massive devaluation of rupee from Rs110 a dollar to Rs167.
The devaluation failed to boost exports while it contributed to inflation and poverty as the devaluation of one rupee against dollar increases debt by Rs100 billion, he maintained.
The veteran business leader noted that currency is always devalued on the directions of IMF but the reforms agreed with the IMF have never been implemented.
These reforms include proper economic and administrative policies, improving tax administration, reducing reliance on indirect taxation, just distribution of wealth, transparency etc, he added. Mian Zahid Hussain said that indirect taxation erodes buying power of masses resulting in unrest, poverty and reduced demand which also hit the productive sector.
